Wolves of the Beyond the RolePlay
by Susie of Anna
Summary: This is the story of different wolves of the Beyond, which was originally a RolePlay (this story belongs to Overrunner). After a Gaddergnaw Games, the four wolves Shadow, Kia, Marlo, and Maya are set into an adventure with new friends, new enemies, and new experiences. (rated T for minor violence)
1. Introduction

**_Introduction_**

Hi, my name is Susie of Anna, and this is the introduction to Wolves of the Beyond RolePlay. It, as the name says, is was a RolePlay started by Overrunner. He started it on August 18th, 2013, and quickly began to get members. The authors of the story you will read are as follows: Overrunner, AelitaAndWhiteboy, Susie of Anna, Wildfire10, Starriechombie, DauntlessJay, The Wolf's Poet, and Supercell-ak. This story will also have a bit of grammatical errors in it.

Please keep in mind as you read this story that it was originally a RolePlay, and thus not written as any other story might be. It goes back and forth from one author to another to tell a story. Only the creators of their characters control their characters. Also, this story takes place about 7 years before Faolan was born (to my memory, at least). I did little editing on this story as well. Also, the characters were added into the "Characters" topic, and this is a story, so I don't have that. So I'd advise you to read the following information on each character as the writers of the RP did before writing about them:

**_Characters:_**

Name: _Shadow_

Clan: MacDuncan

Male

Looks: A crimson red furred wolf with a white underbelly and Silver-blue eyes.

History: Shadow was born in the MacHeaths before Faolan was born. When he was born, he was thought to be blind but it turns out he was just confused on who was who in his family; his eyes taking more time than usual to adjust to life. So he was cast out as a Malcadh into Old Cags pit. There though, he became a slave for the diseased ridden wolf by that of being moon-blinked. Having broken free of this trance, Cags drove him out and Shadow ran right into a forest fire. THere he escaped and after time made his way to the MacDuncan territory. He was infected by Cags but he had a certain immunity that allowed him to control the foaming mouth disease; kinda like a snake. Though many of the wolves fear him, he managed to make friends Kia, Maya, and Marlo, meeting them on several different occasions before finally earning his keep in the MacDuncan clan as a gnaw wolf.

Name: _Kia_

Clan: MacHeath

Female

Rank: outflanker

Looks: black with a white muzzle and crystal blue eyes

History: Kia was born to the MacHeaths. She tried to stop the pack from casting Shadow out, but her attempts were never to succeed. Now, she remembers him sorrowfully, as she does not know where he lives. Kia and Shadow were both pups, but she was born sooner than him.

Name: _Maya_

Gender: Female

Clan: MacDuncan

Description: Night Black fur-color, eyes are two different colors because of heterochromia iridum, making her right eye green and her left blue. She is a...wait for it...vrrywolf! But she isn't evil, nor was she sent from the Dim World. She was just cursed with it...I am so evil with her,

History: When she was just a little wolf pup, she was took as a malcadh because both of her front paws were marked with strange blue markings. She had a brother and a sister, but her brother and sister had to be taken by the Obea to another wolf. Maya went days with no food until a dog found her and helped her. But she was slain by Lamarian.

Name: _Marlo_

Clan: MacAngus

Male

Appearance: Brown with white underbelly and black tipped tail, and bright, deep green eyes

History: Marlo was the oldest of a litter of two: he and his brother Mirlo. He and his mother and brother fled into the west as to keep him safe: he was the heir of the Clan, but being a malcadh, he would not be welcomed. After returning home, he was not allowed to be chieftain: either a packer or a gnaw wolf. Angry, he ran away and ran into his friends Maya, Shadow, Kia, and the others. He spent his time as a free runner until he was called for the Gaddergnaw games, and decided to become a gnaw wolf to compete.

Name: _Audren Casmin MacNaan_

Clan: MacNaan

Gender: Female

History: She was born and raised in the evil clan of MacNaan, she hated malcadhs just as the rest of the other MacNaans did, but she hated them more. Her mother and father were killed by a Malcadh and so that was why she hated them more.

Mate: Jay Duke MacNaan

Name: _Jay Duke MacNaan_

Clan: MacNaan

Gender: Male

History: Born and raised in the MacNaans, he was just like the rest. But he was stronger than the rest, also. He had a bad attitude, and if anyone made him too angry, he'd tackle them or either take their lives. He was like this because his mother had been murdered when he was only 3 years old as a pup. His father was a furious and maddened man, so he taught his son to be violent.

Mate: Audren Casmin MacNaan

Name: _Snake_

Clan: MacNaan

Looks: Has dark blue fur and black streaks that go from his muzzle to his tail. Eyes are golden.

History: He was a former victim of Cags and strangely managed to survive. It is odd how he knows so much about wolves, some consider him as the Stalker of the packs. Yet it is amazing and strange how he knows a lot about poor Maya. He knows her past, her friends, her flaws...her darkest secrets. And this secret he has, Maya is his little sister. He was taken from her when she was born and put with another family. When he ran away from the MacDuncans and wondered about to the MacHeaths when Old Cags wasn't put in the Pit, he was infected by him.

Name: _Silverside_

Clan: none/clanless [malcadh of MacNamara]

Gender: male

Characteristics: named by the streak of silver on his side to the tails(born with two tails) his blue(left) and brown(right) eyes had a made his eyesight much better

History: the tummfraw was on an ice floe near the ring of sacred volcanos raised by a bear near the ring when she was nearing her death she told silverside to go to the ring and tell the fengo about her death.

Name: _Grand Kanon_

Species: An Owl

Gender: Male

History: None

Appearance: A Barn Owl. Black feathers and dark feather.

Name: _Kalamar MacAngus_

Gender: Male

Appearance: Shaggy blond fur with a white underbelly and muzzle. A black zigzag on his back and forehead (IT'S NOT A HARRY POTTER REFERANCE! DON'T WORRY!)

History/Bio: He was a young pup, born to two Outclanners and just had happened to earn the title Taiga. He is a pain and acts childish just like Maya, and it causes conflicts between them too. He is usually envying any male who talks to Maya and so he likes her...there.

Name: _Maxon_

Clan: MacHeath

Looks: A crimson red furred wolf with a blue streak on his muzzle and on his ears.

History: He was absolutely outraged when Shadow was accepted into the MacDuncans. Having not been trialed for the murder of their father, Maxon chose to abuse his half-brother but not in a physical way, but the mental way. He has always despised Malcadhs and takes a certain disliking towards Shadow's friends.

Name: _Rose_

Clan: MacDuncan

Female

Looks: silvery-crimson red without a left eye, other eye is a rose-looking-color

History: She was born as a malach and was left near the ring of scare Volcanos. A wolf of the scare Volcanos took care of her until she was old enough to leave and head back to MacDuncan. She entered the pack again and was scared to death of the way the other wolves treated her. Now she gnaws flawless scriptcers onto bones of the dead elks and whatnot that the other wolves hunt.

Name: _Falkor_

Clan: Watch Wolf

Male

Looks: shockingly pale wolf with dark eyes with indecipherable color

History: Falkor was born to some wolves in the MacNaan clan but whenever they found he had a coiled tendon in his right paw, making it bent inward, they left him to die. Lucky for Falkor, he managed to find a warm den so that he could survive that was once that of a bear, who had recently left. Falkor lived alone on meat he could findn from the bear's life and then eventually headed out and joined the MacHeath clan. Falkor suffered a brutal life in the MacHeath clan as a gnaw wolf and then managed to win the gaddergnaw games and make it to the gnaws flawless scriptcers onto bones of the dead elks and whatnot that the other wolves hunt.

Name: _Fire_

Gender: Male

Clan: MacNaan

Looks: He is a strikingly fire-red color and has the reddest eyes. He looks almost like a vyyrwolf.

History: N/A

Name: _Silverstorm_

Clan: MacDuncan

Gender: Female

Looks: Silvery fur with some white mixed in, light blue eyes.

History: Was born into the clan the day before Faolan but there was a problem. She was born with no sense of smell. Because of this the Obea had to cast her out because without a sense of smell how was the little pup to learn to hunt. The Obea however did not want this pup to die so she took the little pup to a place where she knew the pup would live and maybe even get her sent. The pup lived just like the Obea thought but the pup lived. The pup found developed her sense of smell and found her was back to the MacDuncan clan. She was named Silverstorm that day. She is now a gnaw wolf.

Name: _Kiran_

Clan: MacAngus

Looks: Dark brown with green eyes—very beautiful

History: Kiran was born into the MacAngus Clan as a regular pup, but her sibling was a _malcadh_ so she belonged to a foster parent. She was quicker than most females and quickly became an Outflanker for a _byrrgis_, and is wellknown throughout the pack. When Marlo and Mirlo returned from their solitude in the West, she and Mirlo became fast friends. At times she is very strict and maybe rude, and other times she is meek and humble. Her beliefs in Lupus are frail. And even better than running, Kiran's best attribute is spreading faith and hope.

Name: _Mirlo_

Clan: MacAngus

Looks: Reddish brown fur with green eyes

History: Mirlo is the younger son of twins (not identical) of Aldwyn MacAngus. Because his brother, Marlo, was a malcadh, Mirlo was given right to be chieftain when Aldwyn died. But the first year and a half of his life, Mirlo spent with his brother and mother in the West, hiding so that Marlo would not be harmed. As the returned, Mirlo became popular and pampered within his pack, taught how to be a perfect chieftain.

Name: _Akela the lone wolf._

Appearance: An old gray wolf. His green eyes are filled with wisdom. His old body still has some kick left in it. Enogh to overcome many wolves younger than him.

Gender: Male.

History: He one of the only outclanners in history to remain civilized. He was not cast out, no, he was born out of the clans. By watching the packs of clan wolves he gained wisdom and intelligence. He learned how to not only survive, but live. Eventually he ventured into clan territory. This was when he was younger, and no wolf could challenge him in battle, for outclnner lifehad hardened his bones and sharpened his wits. His strength was recognised and he was given the title: the lone wolf. Respected and feared by most.

Name: _Chanoa_

Clan:MacDuff

Male

Pelt:Mud brown with one black ear

History:Born a malcadh to the MacDuff's his tummfraw was on the ridge of a sea cliff, a common home for carnivorous seadwelling birds,the ridges above him were unstable and a large chunk had broken and nearly crushed him but before it smashed into the tiny figure it caught between an over hanging root and the ridge below trapping him,he tried desperately to squirm out from beneath the rock but it only held him tighter he tried to whine but being born without a toung he made only wheesing sounds not audible against the crashing waves suddenly the ridge below him had began to crumble and the rock slid free.

Name: _Sky_

Clan: MacAngus

Gender: Male

History: N/A

Looks: A normal wolf of the beyond look with the green eyes.

Name: Gold (See what I did there)

Clan: MacDuncan

Looks: Gold yellowish fur.

History: Gold was born of two outflanker parents and he has achieved the same rank within the pack. He first saw Silverstorm while she was hunting with the pack.

This story will range from long chapters to shorter chapters, and here I will add which character belongs to which author:

**Overrunner:** Shadow, Maxon

**AelitaAndWhiteboy:** Maya, Raine, Jay, Audren, Snake, Fire, Kalamar

**Wildfire10:** Kia, Falkor

**Susie of Anna:** Marlo, Mirlo, Kiran, Dremrin, (in the second half I play Jay)

**DauntlessJay:** Silverstorm, Rouge, Gold

**Starriechombie:** Silverside, Boomer

**Supercell-ak:** Akela

**The Wolf's Poet:** Chanoa

Without any further supsence, please sit back and enjoy Wolves of the Beyond RolePlay (and PLEASE review!)


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything you can recognize from any book EVER. If you recongnize anything from any movie or book—anything, it isn't mine.**

Chapter 1

Shadow strolled through the gathering wolves, looking for his friends he met last winter. "Kia? Marlo! Maya? Where are you?" Shadow called.

"Here!" Marlo cried, leaping from the crowd. His dark brown pelt was easily seen throughout the grey wolves assembled. "I can't wait, can you? Never mind, I know you can't- none of us can. I think I saw Maya over there- maybe not, I couldn't tell. I'll help you find them." He excitingly bounded off through the wolves in hope of finding his other two friends.

"Slow down! My shoulder hurts. I'm still adjusting to the MacDuncans. Half a year and they still push me around." Shadow called after him, limping as fast as he could.

Marlo slowed to a walk, turned and whimpered. "Sorry, Shadow. I keep forgetting." he trotted back to his friend and walked along side him. "If you make it to the Watch, you won't be hurt any longer."

"I'm used to it. Trust me, growing up in the MacHeaths, you get used to the pain." Shadow said, giving his friend an affectionate lick on the head.

"When will the games start?" Marlo asked. "And where are the other two? I hope they're here in time to start."

"Those two are probably dozing somewhere waiting for us."

"I agree... but I'm so afraid I won't win and go back to being a gnaw wolf," Marlo whimpered. He began to recall his many beatings and bites from wolves, just because he was a gnaw wolf. But he had power: the son of a chieftain. He did not feel so powerful, though.

"Have faith in yourself." Shadow said firmly.

Marlo sighed, looking up to his friend and speaking in a whisper. "I don't want you to go back either... none of us should have to go back to being gnaw wolves. Why should I win if you can; it will save your life. I can't have you be a gnaw wolf again."

"I wouldn't leave any of my friends behind to those horrible beatings. Were suppose to be packs. Yet we look down on our fellow wolves." Shadow said with a saddened sigh. "You know, I actually felt like I had a father when I was hunting for Cags. But... I'm a little creeped out though, what happened once." Shadow shuddered.

Marlo was not comfortable speaking of Old Cags. He had heard that this wolf had scared the mind's of pups so badly that they did not work anymore. But Shadow saw him as a friend, so that Marlo had to treat him like. "What happened?" he asked quietly, slightly afraid to ask.

"I was moon-blinked once." Shadow said fearfully, haunted by how he listened to Old Cags without hesitation.

"What?" Marlo stopped, gasping. "Why? Why did that happen?" "I was watching Cags one night, making sure he wouldn't come near me and then I grew tired and fell asleep on a rock under the moon. I was never told what would happen if I slept under the moon. I wasn't permanently moonblinked though because I had been thinking of my mother at the time." Shadow said. If you looked closely you could see where the moon-blinking had taken its toll, under his eyes if he looked up.

Marlo whimpered at the thought of his friend moonblinked. He nuzzled his size to comfort him of the memory.

Shadow rested his muzzle on Marlo's head. "There, there Marlo. I'm still me. You have nothing to worry about." He whispered reassuringly.

Marlo laughed and nodded. "Nothing to worry about now, you mean. I hope the gaddergnaw games go well," he sighed.

"Where are those two! They'll miss the games!" Shadow said angrily. "They're about to begin!"

Marlo sprang into action, yipping anxiously.

Maya ran through the crowd of wolves, trying to find her friends. _Where are they? They probably already went without me, didn't they? Oh why am I so late!_ Maya thought as she jumped up and tried to spot her friends in the crowd.

Marlo looked up from his gaze on Shadow to see Maya a few yards away, scanning through the crowd. "Maya!" he barked. "Over here!"

"Huh? Oh finally! Sorry to keep you guys waiting! Where's Kia?" asked Maya as she spotted her friends and made her way to them.

Marlo looked around, replying with a shake of his head. "I have no idea," he finally said.

"Hmmm...that's curious" Maya murmured. Where is she?

"You think she might have been-" Maya had snarled, stopping herself from saying the word. She hated thinking that one of her close friends getting into trouble.

Marlo now looked worried. "Might have been what...?" he whimpered like a pup.

"Uh...I rather not say. Uh - hey look! There's an owl!" Maya changed the subject and then let a worried sound.

Marlo looked up, barking with surprise at the circling owl above them.

Maya dug with paws in the ground. She was anxious, yet nervous about the gaddergnaw. Maya had tried to push the thought of Kia being dead out of her head, but it wasn't working.

"Good to see you Marlo. I've noticed the owl too. Strange that its circling us. We only got a little more time before the games start. If Kia isn't here, her pack will be angry." Shadow said nervously. Early though, the Fengo called the wolves gathered together. "He's early!" Shadow cried.

Marlo was shaking. "Well... I guess it's better to get it over with..." he muttered, walking along side his friends towards the front.

"Gnaw wolves of all packs. I welcome you to our anniversary of the Gaddergnaw games. I wish each of you luck and the one that does best, will win the honor, of joining our ranks, protecting the ring of sacred volcanoes." Fengo announced before padding away.

Marlo could barely hold in his excitement. The first thing to do was write a story onto a bone by gnawing it out; he had not been the best wolf at gnawing, for he had never really been a true gnaw wolf. But he did know just the story to write.

"Looks as if you got a story." Shadow said. "Want to tell me about it later?" Shadow asked, having had a story himself.

Marlo nodded. "Yeah, when I read it I guess. It's not my favorite story to tell, but I think it might help me win." He recalled the scenes of his story, almost growling at the thought of them. "Well, how about you? You've got one?"

"Yep. The gnawing is on." Shadow said and started going through the bone pile, picking out a nice, big moose antler. "I like this one." Shadow said, his tail wagging in excitement.

Suddenly another wolf growled. "That's mine."

"Finders keepers." Shadow growled back, ears up in alarm.

"Don't make me take it." The other wolf, a dark grey and black mix warned.

Shadow dropped the antler. "Try it."

"Shadow!" Marlo barked. "Don't hurt him. I doubt that will fix an argument." He sighed, and turned to the wolf. He raised his voice. "You touch him, you'll go through me first!" he snarled.

"And who are you to fix a fight?"

Marlo raised his tail in dominance at this. "The son of a chieftain!"

"Marlo lets go. This big lug can get his own bone. This ones mine." Shadow said, barring his teeth at the other wolf, ears lowered.

The other gnaw wolf didn't like that and jumped on Shadow, snarling viciously.

Shadow flipped him off his back, paw on his throat.

"You touch me again, and you'll regret for the rest of your miserable life. Which could be a few short seconds." Shadow snarled, voice full of venom, and before anyone knew, foam was coming out of his mouth.

"I'm sorry!" The other wolf cried.

"What's going on here?" Duncan MacDuncan, chieftain of the MacDuncan clan demanded.

Fierce as he was, Shadow respected the chieftain, immediately the foam disappeared back into his mouth.

He ending up groveling onto the ground tail between his legs, ears flattened and laying on his back, a submission posture.

Marlo submitted as well, whimpering. "Forgive us, Dunbar. We're... uh... fighting, I guess. Over bones."

Maya watched this action Shadow and Marlo had done. She then looked over at the wolf who dared to take Shadow's bone and she gave an angry glare towards the wolf. "I can't believe the dumb crait chieftain had to butt in." growled Maya quietly under her breath. That wolf should've gotten the mouth foaming disease... thought Maya to herself, filled with rage.

Marlo quietly sat down, gnawing on his bone again. He hated awkward silences.

"Over bones! Ridiculous! Shadow as a gnaw wolf I expected more from you." MacDuncan scorned.

"But Chieftain, he jumped on me and attacked me. I was only defending myself, sir!" Shadow cried, ears flattened in dismay, tail still tucked down. But right after that, he took a bite to his head by another MacDuncan.

Marlo grabbed a bone (this time) and began to gnaw, whimpering the slightest bit at the sound of a wolf biting Shadow. Shadow could win this thing, and when he did, those wolves would be sorry.

"And who started this fight?" The Chieftain asked.

"He did sir." Shadow explained, one eye closed, blood slowly oozing out of the wound above his eye.

"Is this true?" The chieftain asked, ears shoved forward and tail held high, turning to the gnaw wolf who was slightly chuckling at Shadow's pain.

"Yes sir. But-."

"But nothing young wolf! That is a bone. It is nothing to fight over! There is another one in there just like it! Now get out of here. One more fight Shadow and you wont compete in the next game." Chieftain warned.

As he left, another wolf nipped him on the ear.

"See what I mean?" Shadow asked, tail lowered, ears flattened as he padded over to Marlo, gripping the antler in his mouth.

"I love it when we get out of fights," Marlo snickered. "But I doubt that's the end of that wolf's rage... I think he's a MacNaan. Those wolves are even worse than MacHeaths."

"I thought MacNaans hated malcadhs." Shadow pointed out. "Or do they just hate other malcadhs not in their packs?"

Marlo nodded. "I guess so. I don't know much about them, thankfully, though maybe that wolf could be important to them. My pack wouldn't kill me because I was the son of the chieftain. Maybe it is the same with him." He watched the wolf suspiciously before continuing to gnaw.

"Probably." Shadow agreed, starting to gnaw his own story.

Marlo was having trouble carving; he was not very good in the first place, and felt strange doing it. He was the son of a chieftain- why did he have to be a gnaw wolf? He had wondered this his whole life, as far back as he could remember, though that would not change the rules of the Beyond. That was his story he would wright: how it was being the son of a chieftain and a gnaw wolf.


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything you can recognize from any book EVER. If you recongnize anything from any movie or book—anything, it isn't mine.**

Chapter 2

While Shadow wondered what Marlo was carving, he wrote about how he had met his friends last winter and how all of them had gotten along and how they helped each other get to their clans.

Marlo sighed with anger as the wolf (who had attacked Shadow) sat beside him, a bone underneath his paws. "Trying to be brave back there, weren't you?" the wolf snickered.

"Trying and succeeding, actually," Marlo answered. "You didn't like it?"

There was no answer; the wolf just continued to gnaw his bone angrily. Marlo did the same, glancing from Shadow, to his bone, and then to Maya. Where was Kia?

"Thanks Marlo." Shadow whispered.

Marlo nodded in understanding, wondering how the next event would go.

After presenting their bones to the Fengo (Or whoever to) they proceeded on to the hunting games.

Marlo sighed; the byrrgis was to take place the following day. It was as if they wished to deprive him of his sleep that very night to leave him exhausted for the following day.

Maya was ready for the byrrigis, she couldn't wait for it to start! But she worried that she might also make a mistake like she had in her younger days when talking to the chieftain.

Kia walked from her den.

Marlo was almost dozing when he saw the she-wolf Kia walk up. He leapt up with joy. "Kia! You're here- we were so worried."

"Where have you been?" Shadow asked her, rushing forward, excited to see his friend.

Marlo nodded in agreement, wanting a quick answer. He was worried about her.

"I've... been around," Kia replied, smiling at Shadow.

"We're starting the byrrgis in the morning," said Marlo quietly. "We'd better get some sleep."

Maya was going to sleep when the thought of Shadow popped into her head. Her first friend Shadow...she didn't think of it anymore. It would bother her during the byrrigis if she were to keep thinking of her former friend.

Marlo awoke with a start. Wolves were bustling about with excitement. The byrrgis; already? he thought, standing. Taking a deep breath, he proceeded to follow the rest of the gathered wolves.

Maya had awoken also and had gathered into the group of wolves. She could see Marlo through the crowd, but she refused to go over to him after the nightmares she had had overnight. She shouldn't have been thinking of that wolf...

Kia followed the others, her mind elsewhere.

Maya saw Kia and went up to her side. "Why'd you come so late? Forgot to groom your fur?" Maya joked.

Kia grinned. "I try to keep my fur in line," she joked back.

Maya smiled back at Kia. It was at least good to have one female friend when you were only friends with two boys.

"Maya, Kia!" a voice broke out through the crowd, Marlo's head appearing as he leaped above them. He pushed his way through until he had run into the two females. "How are the she-wolves this morning?" he asked, walking alongside them.

"Oh pretty much the same really..." Maya replied to Marlo. She looked around for Shadow, he was probably sleeping in.

Marlo took a deep breath. He couldn't actually win, could he?

Maya sighed. She couldn't stand just waiting around like this! Maya glanced at Marlo for a second, but the dug the ground nervously. Maya hated waiting...

Marlo recalled the teachings his mother had instructed him. He had not been taught much, but it might help him now. The skreeleens had not yet signaled a herd yet, which delayed the wait even longer.

Kia sighed, wishing that something would happen. The wolf gazed about and across the formation of what would be the _byrrgis_.

"I'm ready to sleep again," Marlo sighed.

Shadow snored on, not knowing the _byrrgis_ was ready. In his mind he was having a nightmare himself about his life in Old Cags cave.

"Red squirrel! Red squirrel! You fetch me Red squirrel Stone-eyed pup! Fetch me red squirrel!" Old Cags would command constantly.

Marlo glanced behind in search of Shadow again. He gave a harsh bark at the sight of him still sleeping in an attempt to wake him.

Unstirred by Maya's bark, Shadow started whimpering in fear.

He was remembering when he broke out of the moon-blinked trance and not being chase out by the MacHeaths but by Cags himself.

"No!" Shadow yelled when awoke.


	4. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything you can recognize from any book EVER. If you recongnize anything from any movie or book—anything, it isn't mine.**

Chapter 3

Marlo sighed as he was shoved once again into the flow of the wolves, losing sight of Shadow.

Shadow, ears flattened, yawned and stumbled blindly outside, walking right into Marlo. "Marlo!" He mumbled. "Whens the byrrgis?" He asked licking his chops, slightly looking for food.

Marlo shrugged. "They were making a fuss of it this morning, but we haven't got any signs of food yet," he explained, glancing to the rising sun.

Shadow let in a deep intake of breath. "Then why do I smell Caribou? To the south of the byrrgis." Shadow said, ears flattened by how the wolves sniffing for food, could miss something so obvious.

"No wonder were all hungry!" He said with a shake of his head. "Fengo! Fengo! There's food to the south. A Caribou herd." Shadow said, running to the Fengo, tail up slightly and ears up in alert.

Marlo gasped with excitement as Alasterine repeated the alarm, and the byrrgis was formed.

"Come on, aren't you a packer like me?" Shadow asked as they rushed to get in position.

Marlo shook his head, "I'm a malcadh; I've either been a lone wolf or lived with my mother most of my life," he answered loudly for his friend to hear.

"Well just come stand next to me." He said, leading the way to one side of the V shaped byrrgis.

"Well since you've never been in a byrrgis, let me explain. There are Sweepers, Outflankers, Packers, Line Wolves, and Turning Guards. Sadly, a Sweeper's job is to sniff a caribous dung and urine to see of they're healthy but since it's the gaddergnaw games, no Malcadh have to do that, just normal wolves today. An Outflanker is for She-wolves so we might as well leave that to Maya or Kia. Now if you are a Packer, like me, you are the one that goes in for the kill rush. That's why were at the very end, here. There's two more, a Line Wolf and a Turning guard. Line Wolves pass signals to one another and Turning guards steer the herd. Which one do you think you'd be best in? The herd is coming. Decide, quickly!" Shadow explained rapidly before rushing the decision on Marlo.

Marlo thought he would be best as a Packer, for that might get him most points. But he knew the sad fact that he should never chose something for his benefit if others are also in need. "I'll be a Line Wolf," he said excitingly.

"You want to be a packer don't you? Your voice betrays nothing, but your eyes tell the whole story." Shadow said, ears up, and tail straight, disappointed with his friend for not telling what he wanted. "This isn't an everyday chance. Stay here." Shadow told, affectionately licking his ear.

"Well... aren't they having another byrrgis later?" Marlo asked. "They cannot have just one or no one will have a chance to win except for the ones who win this time. I'll be a Packer next time." He licked his friend in reply, turning towards the forming byrrgis.

"No! We all join in one large byrrgis. This is seriously a once-in-a-while chance." Shadow insisted, proving by waving his paw around, showing no other byrrgis's, proving his point.

Marlo slowly nodded. "Alright," he replied. "I'll be a Packer, then."

"Well, I haven't been at a gaddergnaw, and my mother didn't ever participate, so I could ask Fengo and Chieftain MacDuncan." Shadow said, licking his chops.

Marlo quickened his pace in eagerness; his first byrrgis had begun!

Shadow watched his friend go to the other end of the byrrgis and then, a silent signal was passed by a flick of an ear and the byrrgis of over 40 wolves took off.

Marlo bolted forward into action, and soon spotted the herd they were after ahead of them.

Maya chose to be an Outflanker for the byrrigis.

Marlo was about to yell out to Maya in a greeting when he remembered it was against the rules to speak during a byrrgis. The smooth running went on in silence.

Maya looked back at Marlo. She sensed he was going to say something, but stopped. Maya sprinted quickly and past the lead Outflanker. The female Outflanker looked at Maya with envy and pushed harder to go faster until she reached Maya's side.

Marlo threw his legs into a quicker pace as they approached the caribou. Maya was racing ahead as a leading Outflanker. Quite impressively, Marlo thought.

It was like a race! The wolf that envied Maya kept getting I frog of her, but Maya toke lead each time. Finally, she heard a growl from the female and then Maya felt pain near her neck as jaws clamped onto her. She finally realized that it was a wolf from the MacNaan!

Marlo knew it wrong, but he barked. Some wolves glared in disgust at him, though he ignored him. At his bark the MacNaan stopped, Maya again taking the lead. Finally, the caribou was moments from being reached.

Maya thanked Marlo mentally for helping her. Oh how happy she was to have such a great friend!

Maya rushed up to the caribou. She had quickly spotted an old cow and sprinted after it. She then let a long ounce and lunged right onto the back of the cow and snagged it's neck, causing it to stumble. Maya had almost fallen with the old cow, but she jumped off before it fell.

Marlo leaped onto it as his onto friends dug in to finish, and at the last moment he sank his teeth into its neck in an attempt to cut its life-giving artery. Many wolves took their part, and finally the byrrgis was over.

"Nice kill Maya!" Shadow said, catching up, having fallen behind from a recently injured paw.

"Thanks Shadow, but your paw...is it ok?" asked Maya as she looked at it. It seemed to have hurt pretty bad.

Marlo was recovering from his that-was-the-best-thing-I've-ever-done thought, and trotted to the other two. "That was awesome," he said, losing his enthusiasm at the sight of Shadow's paw. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Shadow said, but his eyes told the whole story. He had been bitten by that wolf from the MacNaan's again.

"Those MacNaan are really on to us," said Maya to her friends. "First one tried to get me and now Shadow was hurt!".

"Wait a minute! What happened?!" Shadow demanded, Ears shoved forward and tail straight, angered by what he heard.

"Uh...A MacNaan she-wolf tried to...kill me..." Maya slightly whimpered by Shadow's anger.

Shadows ear flattened immediately, seeing how scared his friend was. "I'm sorry Maya. I didn't mean to scare you or Marlo." Shadow said before trotting away.

Maya felt bad for making Shadow think she was scared, but remembering his history of actually having the foaming mouth disease...it terrified her! Maya ran up by Shadow's side. "You didn't scare me Shadow...I'm just...well..." Maya couldn't say anything. She was wordless.

"Nervous because of my past?" Shadow asked in a crestfallen voice. "All I really wanted to do was make some friends who weren't scared of me because of what I was... and still am." Shadow whispered, his tail between his legs and ears flattened before he walked past Marlo.

"Wait I-..." Maya stopped herself. She'd only make it worse if she kept talking. Maya sighed and her ears flattened. Her head drooped down and she looked at the ground. I shouldn't have said anything...I'm so stupid! She screamed at herself mentally.

Maya stopped walking and the grey she wolf that had tried to kill her came up to her side. "Ha...way to impress somebody. The name's Audren...You are the one called Maya? Ha...your about as stupid as crows." insulted the grey she-wolf. Maya only closed her eyes. Audren saw Maya's weakness and chuckled. Maya ran off into the Beyond.

"Maya!" Marlo whimpered, shooting the MacNaan wolf a glare before racing off his friend she-wolf. "Maya, wait!" He stopped to look at Shadow, beckoning him to follow in their chase for their friend.

Maya raced off, she didn't care when Marlo tried to stop her, she just wanted to go! She always does everything wrong! She can't do anything right!

He didn't follow, instead he charged Audren in sheer and utter anger at what she did to his friend. Body slamming her, he stood over here, struggling against the instinct to bite her. "You think I'm blind! You think her friends would stand by and watch what you did to her! You MacNaan's disgust me! You aren't honorable to anyone but yourselves! Get out of here before I leave something you wont forget!" Shadow warned with a bare of his teeth before chasing after Maya and Marlo.

Marlo could almost hear his own shrill laughter as he raced away; Shadow was so brilliant in so many ways it was funny.

Audren was full of utter terror and ran off with the rest of the wolves who were getting ready to write.

Meanwhile, Maya was in her secret spot where the lake shimmered in the daylight. She sat by that lake. Disappointed with everything she did, she snarled at her reflection. "Idiot! Audren was right! You are as dumb as a crow!" Maya growled at her reflection.

"THAT'S NOT TRUE!" Shadow shouted as he raced to her side, Marlo behind him.

Maya looked back. She saw Shadow and Marlo. "Just go AWAY!" Maya snarled out of anger, not out of heart though.

Maya couldn't help that anger that built up within her. She wanted to leave...maybe she should.

Audren had snuck into the Beyond when Shadow wasn't looking and picked up Maya's scent. She stalked the three friends in the forest and saw Maya. Her teeth bared and a low growl coming from her. "Hmm...I wonder if that wound on the ginger's paw was from Jay...we were supposed to meet up and take over but...hmm" mumbled the she-wolf Audren as she watched them.

"What are you saying?" Marlo asked from behind Audren.

Audren's eyes widened. She turned around and then gave a fake weak smile. "Oh nothing, deary! I was just talking about your poor friend. I was going to tell her I was sorry! The MacNaans force us to do things that are bad, and it was just habit!" lied Audren very innocent that it was almost believable.

Marlo looked as if he were insulted. "Deary?" He knocked her over, standing above her angrily. "If you touch my friends one more time, Audren, I will touch you back. HARD." He gestured to his claws to give her the picture.

"Ow! I can't believe you are so foolish!" snarled Audren, she got up in a flash and pounced on Marlo, snatching his paw and giving it a sharp bite.

Maya looked in the direction of the strange snarl and saw Audren attacking Marlo. "BACK OFF OF HIM!" Maya growled, running quickly and knocking Audren off of Marlo, tackling her to a tree and growling. Baring her sharp fangs. Her scar gave a white glow and her eyes went white.

Marlo staggered to his feet. "Maya, don't," he panted. "I'm fine. Let her go for now. He hadn't done anything wrong." _Yet_, he added in his head.

Maya growled; she didn't like this Audren. Maya's sharp fangs only dug into Audren's neck, rage overcame her. Audren somehow managed to struggle out of Maya's grip and she lost a lot of blood because of that bite.

Audren whimpered and had ran off to get her friend Jay. It left Maya and Marlo together.


	5. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything you can recognize from any book EVER. If you recongnize anything from any movie or book—anything, it isn't mine.**

Chapter 4

Maya collapsed onto the ground. She only saw Marlo before she pasted out completely. "S-orry..." she whispered before a groan and then, she pasted out.

Marlo yelped as his friend collapsed. "Maya!" He gasped, nuzzling her. He grabbed her by the scruff and began to drag her back to a den.

Maya stirred awake, she saw a figure, "H-Hello?...Wha-what happened?" asked Maya, she couldn't make out who it was because it was only a brown blob in her perspective.

Maya stood up, but ended up trembling and collapsing back to the ground. She felt weak and loss of power, her eyes changed back to the normal color and her scar remained normal. It all had happened so fast that - she didn't know what happened. "Is that you, Lupus?" she muttered, her vision still blurred.

Marlo snickered. "I wish," he mumbled.

"Wait-Marlo? What happened...why am I in a...cave?" asked Maya, still unconscious.

She didn't hear a reply, but she gained consciousness and stood up, a bit stronger this time and not so weak. She looked at Marlo with her ears flattened and tail between her legs.

"It's okay, Maya," Marlo smiled. "You'll be alright. Good enough to continue in the games."

"The games! Wait...oh great...when will it be over with?" asked Maya, she didn't want to do anything else. All she wanted to do was just have a rest.

Marlo came to her side and nudged her until she sat down again. "We have to finish and tell our stories first before they announce the winners. Now get some rest, Maya."

Maya looked at Marlo with affection, then sighed and huddled down. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep, but she could not. Not with what she did. She had never killed a fellow wolf before, or even tried to! Maya let a small moan and then grumbled something that nobody could make out.

"Say what?" Marlo asked as he began to walk out but turned to look back at her.

"Don't...go..." Maya murmured subconsciously in her sleep. She was having a strange dream about her friends betraying her and Audren and some male trying to kill them, it scared her from within the dream so strong that she pleaded 'Don't Go' in the real world.

Marlo knew she was hardly conscious and continued to walk away. He could not hear her moans from far away, but was hoping to get her some meat while he was out. And that he did, soon walking back with a snow hare draping from his jaws.

Maya howled and snapped herself to reality. Calm down Maya... It was just a dream, Maya told herself.

"Here ya go," Marlo said, dropping the hare before her.

Maya looked down at the hare, she was hungry. "Thanks, Marlo...you're a good friend, you know that?" said Maya before she half the hare. She nudged the other half to Marlo, if he wanted some.

He smiled, pushing it back. "I had my share of meat while you were unconscious.

"Ok. I just had to make sure...I thought it was something called...manners if I remember correctly, I learned it from a friend back years ago before I met you and the rest" said Maya, smiling back at Marlo before eating the last part of the hare.

"Being a gnaw wolf is unfair," he whispered.

Maya looked at Marlo, "Your right...but we can't do anything about it sadly. We were born as Malcadh, cursed ones...or more like I was. I don't see anything different about you" said Maya with a sigh.

Meanwhile...

"Jay! We had the chance! Why weren't you there when I needed you, mate?" asked Audren to the male wolf that attacked Shadow's paw, "Well...I had to deal with some wolves. What are we planning on doing now?" said Jay, a silver wolf just like Audren. "We kill the two wolves that attacked me. I may be able to pick up their scents again" replied Audren, Jay gave a smirk and then howled along with Audren.

Marlo sighed; where were Kia and Shadow for all this?

A darkness enveloped the light that shined through the cave, Shadow stood at the entrance. "Where were you two? I lost you after you fought with a Audren and I went back to the gaddergnaw. Guess what! you won! Marlo, Maya and Kia! All three of you won!" Shadow told them excitedly. "They're looking for you so they can welcome you into their ranks! Come on." Shadow told them

"No! Not without you, Shadow...we can't forget you, we're a team, remember? And anyways...we have to gnaw stories and read them before we when" said Maya. She looked at Marlo and then at Shadow.

"She has a point," Marlo said. "I'm not going to any Watch without you."

"You don't read them! The Fengo and Guardians of the sacred ring read them. The winners read them after they are welcomed into the Sacred ring of volcanoes. And you will go. You don't deserve what abuse you get in our clans."

Marlo nodded. "I say we leave at once. Shadow, you're coming."

As the three padded back to the gaddergnaw, they were swept by a wave of wolves, who congratulated them with praise and friendly licks. The only ones who didn't were the MacNaan's.

Maya looked over at the crowd of MacNaans. She saw Audren and her mate, Jay. She growled at the sight of them.

"Step forward." Finbar Fengo told them.

Maya stepped forward with Marlo and Kia. Hamish Fengo standing in front of them.

Maya stood with her three friends, waiting for the Fengo to speak. He didn't.

Kia glanced at Maya, lowering her head so as not to be perceived to going against Fengo. Audren looked at Maya, Kia, and Marlo from a distance and let a growl.

"When will he read them?" Maya whispered to Marlo, barely audible for anyone to hear.

"Who knows?" Kia whispered, vaguely overhearing the murmur.

"Hmm...I wonder if he wouldn't mind if I go for a stroll," said Maya to Kia in a whisper.

Kia chuckled, "I know, right?" Her voice was soft but audible.

Maya snuck past the Fengo and then through the pack of wolves. "Where should I go...the Fengo isn't looking so...ha!" Maya walked out of the MacDuncan Territory and into a grassy plain where the sun shined brightest and warmest.

"KIA! IT'S EASY! JUST SNEAK AWAY IN STEALTH MODE!" Maya explained to Kia, yelling it outloud.

Marlo looked over the crowd confused, wondering what had happened.

Kia laughed and then stopped herself short, remembering that Fengo was there.

Marlo sighed, hanging his head. What were his friends doing?

"GUYS! COME ON! GET OVER HERE! IT'S WARM AND CUDDLY!" shouted Maya outloud to her two friends Kia and Marlo. She knew Marlo had been dazing while she had snuck away to a grassy plains, but she knew he would catch up quickly.

Kia grinned but didn't follow her friend.

"Ugh...I knew Kia would be stubborn about moving from one place to another..." growled Maya under her breath. "MARLO! COME WITH ME TO THE GRASSY PLAINS! I DON WANT TO STAY INFRONT OF THE PAUSED CHIEFTAIN ALL NIGHT!" she screamed.

Maya ran back all the way over to her friends and sat by Kia. She grumbled something inaudible under her breath and then looked at Kia out of the corner of her eye. "I cant believe you actually want to wait for the Fengo to speak...it's so boring! What do we do? Flea Tac Claw (Tic Tac Toe)?" asked Maya.

She shrugged. "I don't care, but we have to be respectful," whispered Kia. The black wolf lowered her white muzzle and said, "Why don't we go ahead and play that? I'm bored."

"Yay! Ok...I'm flea, your tick" whispered Maya to Kia. She made something like a cross, but it took the form of a hash-tag (#)

"Ok so here's how you play it. If I'm flea, and I get three fleas in a row, I win. If you get three ticks in a row, you win. If we don't get three in a row, the cougar gets to claw it" explained Maya.

Kia nodded and waited.

Maya made her first move and made a small stick figure of a flea in the top right corner of the play board (dirt symboled Hash-tag?

Marlo laughed; females could entertain themselves so easily. Then again, so could males.

"Hey Marlo. Do you think that Shadow will get these guys to speak sooner or later?" asked Maya, the Fengo seemed to be in a paused postion, like they were all on TV and someone hit the pause button.

Marlo shrugged. "I'm not sure; I hope so," he answered.

Maya sighed and then itched. Did she have some sort of flea? A real one this time?

"What's wrong?" Marlo asked, seeing Maya's annoyance.

"It's the itches! I can only hope I don't have fleas...ugh!" Maya barked with an annoyed tone.

Marlo yipped, "Shadow, there you are!"

Maya looked at Shadow, but then at the Fengo. "Wasn't he in the crowd already?" Maya muttered.

"Maybe, but I did not see him," Marlo answered, hearing her mumbles.

"Wow...how'd you hear me mumble?" Maya asked with a blank look at Marlo.

_Because I'm a wolf,_ Marlo thought, though answered something else. "I have large ears, my mom said." he smiled.

Maya burst with laughter. "Your mom told you that you had large ears? How awesome!" she chuckled. Maya had never heard of a mother telling her child that he had large ears before.

"I like overhearing conversations, but I don't like getting my ears dead because of howling." Marlo whimpered.

Maya's laughter died out after hearing that. "That'd be scary...losing a sense like that would be bad..." Maya said. She hated hearing whimpers. They were just sad in a way to Maya. Kia rolled her eyes, amused.

Maya sat on her bottom and she sighed. "Hmm...Happy Birthday!" Maya whispered. "So bored...why Fengo? Why?"

Fengo Hamish called all the wolves together and Kia, Marlo, and Maya forward. "Attention, after some unexpected last minute conversations the winners of the Gaddergnaw are Kia of the MacHeath clan, Maya of the MacDuncan, and for the first time in Beyond history, a third has been accepted into our ranks, Marlo of the MacAngus clan." He announced. "Maya, you showed excellent decision making skills when you took the caribou head on and we were keen to see what you would do when confronted by right or wrong, but were greatly surprised by your friends enthusiasm and were honored to invite you here. Kia, your friend Shadow of the MacDuncan presented a bone he found carved by you to the ring told the tale of your friendship and uproar with your clan when you lost a friend at such a young age and we were brought to tears after reading what you felt after. And finally, Marlo, son of the chieftain of the MacAngus clan. We understand how you feel about your life. Though you have been marked Malcadh by what you look like, you aren't criticized by your spirit. We honor it's strength and loyalty and we ask you join us. We wolves of the Sacred ring of volcanoes are honored to ask all three of you to join us." Fengo finished with a dip of his head in respect.


	6. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything you can recognize from any book EVER. If you recongnize anything from any movie or book—anything, it isn't mine.**

Chapter 5

Marlo felt he could hardly speak with fright and joy at the same time. "Thank you, Finbar," he managed to say, though glanced to his friends in doing so. "I accept this offer, on one condition. I ask that my best friend Shadow would join us in going to the Ring."

Finbar Fengos expression didn't change into shock, yet into humor. Shadow who was sitting directly below him, eyes looked up, same expression as Finbar's. Then, Shadow grabbed the necklaces for the three and slowly placed them over each of his friends. "I have yet some good news for you. You see, during that terrible winter, Shadow claimed refuge here and was taken under one of our Taiga's wing. And, I made an offer to him yesterday when you two went missing. You see young ones, there can't be two winners from the same clan, Maya having been from the MacDuncan. But, with Duncan MacDuncan's permission and approval from the other chieftains, Shadow has been welcomed into our ranks as a Taiga to help you three." Finbar told them.

Immediately, there was an uproar from the wolves below, except for one thing: All of them being MacNaan's.

"That's not fair!" One called

"That's never happened before!" Another called.

Marlo jumped to where all eye were on him, his eyes wild and his teeth bared. "There's a first time for every thing! And what I know most is that Shadow is much more worthy than I!"

"Actually, this isn't the first time." The chieftain of the MacNaans interrupted. "It has happened on only special occasions and I agreed with this decision to be made." At their leaders voice, they all settled down and listened to the Fengo.

"According to tradition, tonight, you shall read your bones in front of all the Clans. And one final thing," Fengo turned to the four wolves, "Welcome to the Ring of Sacred volcanoes."

Marlo yipped with pleasure; he had done it!

Shadow faced his friends, a necklace around his neck himself. "I said I wasn't going to leave any of my friends behind to those terrible beatings. And I meant it." He told them. "But there is one journey you must make on your own. Each of you know what that journey is." He told them calmly.

Marlo nodded; the must seek out their tummfraw.

"For now, present your bones." Shadow told them.

Maya was nervous about presenting her bone, but she didn't say anything, although you could visibly see her legs trembling. Maya was thankful for all of her friends going to come with her, she never did want one friend left behind. Ever. Period.

Audren growled. She jumped up onto the mound that Marlo, Maya, Kia, and Shadow stood. "Wait my dear cheiftains!" She interrupted, "since these fellow gnaw wolves won, why not let a non-gnaw wolf to up for once? It is a special occasion today, so why not make it even special than it already is" said Audren, con ending the chieftains and the MacNaan chieftain, Anna.

There were barks of approval, many of them from the MacNaans and MacDuffs.

Marlo frowned; what was this MacNaan doing?

"Do you think you can break ancient tradition since when the good King Hoole led us the wolves of the beyond here because of your jealousy? None such thing has happened before!" Fengo explained.

"Neither has a taiga been accepted without fair trial of being accepted here." Jay replied.

"So you want a fair trial? Why don't we have a trial." Shadow seethed angrily at Jay and Audren for making this argument. "Finbar Fengo, why don't we have a test. If I lose, I don't come as a taiga and return to my pack and they are accepted into the ring." Shadow said, removing his necklace and hefting it at Jay. The bones clattered on the floor. "And if you two lose, you no longer question anyone's authority." Shadow said squarely.

"It's a deal." Jay said, excitedly looking at Audren.

Marlo shook his head furiously, "Wait, wait- what's going on?" he cried.

"These two declared me unworthy. There's going to be a test. Fengo is going to decide." Shadow told him, still glaring at the smug looking Audren and Jay.

"It has been decided. There will be another byrrgis. The ones that claim the most points will be claimed victorious." Fengo announced.

Marlo was infuriated. "You won, Shadow. There doesn't need to be a test. Who is competing?" he asked excitedly.

"It's been decided I'm sorry. There's nothing I can do." Shadow said before running over to the already formed byrrgis.

"I hope you do well," Marlo mumbled, knowing no one but himself could hear. If Shadow lost... that would be bad.

Maya looked at those grins on the two MacNaans. They were probably planning on doing something cruel...but what? Audren grinned. Her plan worked! Now she and Jay only had to wait till dark to finish their plan and they'd be the rulers!

Marlo drew Maya aside. "Maya, something is wrong," he whispered. "I don't know what."

Maya shivered. "I could already tell by those smirks...they have to be up to something" Maya whimpered, her hackles raised of fright. She knew they were up to something.

Shadow breathed a sigh of defeat. He couldn't let his friends down but two against one wasn't possible.

"Don't sigh like that Shadow, you still have a chance. But there is just something in the way they act...they are planning something so devious that even the wisest of them all couldn't find out," Maya said to Shadow, trying to change the subject of his defeat.

"I got to go.'' Shadow said and padded away to the middle of the byrrgis.

Maya felt sorry for Shadow. He has been through so much pain! Maya couldn't bare but pity him.

"We can at least hope," Marlo spoke up, feeling there was nothing in the world now but grief. "Shadow could very well win; he's strong."

"Yeah, but I hear that Jay is strong too...it will be war...but I can't imagine that the MacNaan will win" Maya replied in a firm tone. She didn't want to show grief, for it was only respectful to only give the best of hope and not grief.

Padding to the middle of the byrrgis, Shadow awaited the howl of the Skreleen.

Marlo waited for many moments. It seemed the seconds going by were hours.

Maya saw Jay in the byrrigis with Shadow. She couldn't spot Audren anywhere though. Which gave her that strange knot in her stomach that she was up to something.

Marlo quickly noticed it too. "Maya," he said, leaning in towards her. "Where's Audren?"

"I don't know...odd. Wasn't she supposed to compete with Jay and Shadow?" Maya whimpered, now she felt like she was turning into Marlo, with all her whimpers.

Meanwhile, Audren had snuck into Duncan MacDuncan's den. Since no wolf was there, she had time to blend in and camouflage herself in the dirt.

"Then we have to stop the byrrgis until Aurden gets back, right?" Marlo asked.

"I guess. Maybe we should go tell Chieftain Duncan?" Maya suggested as she aimed her muzzle in the direction of the Chieftain's den.

Suddenly, the Skreeleen took up a howl that another caribou herd was in sight, about 2 miles away.

"Wheres your mate? She should be here!" Shadow demanded as they started to run but now Jay couldn't answer, because of the traditional silence that followed afterward.

"This is not good..." Marlo whimpered. "Well, at least it's fair now."

In the Chieftain's Den, Audren still stayed hidden. She heard paws and their claws clacking together, making an annoying noise. Ah...here he is! Audren thought as she saw a shadow cast from the burning flame. She then pounced out and clutched the throat of a wolf, hoping it was Duncan, but she was wrong to have done that. Audren had snagged a skreeleen instead of the Chieftain! Audren whimpered and dropped the lifeless wolf. It lay on the ground, her beady black eyes boring into Audren. A faint and weak sound came from the she-wolf before she passed on. No! Oh great! The bloody scent will attract others! Grr...Audren growled out of rage. But, she managed to escape with no trace left of her except a bloody paw print near the dead wolf.

Maya had always had a strong nose, so she had caught a scent of blood. A thought ran through her mind. Did a wolf already attack the caribou? Nobody even started the hunt!

Marlo looked about, finally spotting Audren returning. "Is that her?" he asked, gesturing towards the wolf.

Maya observes Marlo's point out, but she only saw a wolf with matted and stained blackish fur. "No. I don't think so. Her fur is lighter than that" Maya answered, she sighed and then urged Marlo into coming with her to the Chieftain's Den.

"Where are we going again?" Marlo asked as Maya led him away. "Shouldn't we be watching Shadow?"

"Chieftain's Den! I just want to make sure that Audren isn't there." Maya snapped, getting agitated with Marlo asking the same question over and over again.

"Oookay," Marlo replied.

They both were now outside the Chieftain's Den when they had a stench fill their nostrils - dead. That's what it smelled like. Maya peeped her head in and about fainted at the sight of the dead wolf

Shadow still ran as Jay and he rushed to kill a caribou. There was two of them, and one caribou. "I have to do this. I have to do this! For, Maya! For Marlo! For Kia!" Shadow thought to himself. As he was about to jump, Jay reached the caribou and hopped on its back and tore at its throat. The moose tripped and Jay jumped off safely but Shadow was caught dumbfounded as he tripped over the moose and crashed.

Fengo watched from afar and was shocked at what happened but was forced to announce it. "The winner... is Jay." Fengo said, his voice no more that a whisper at his last words.


	7. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything you can recognize from any book EVER. If you recongnize anything from any movie or book—anything, it isn't mine.**

Chapter 6

Marlo's ear twitched, looking upon the dead wolf. As if this were not shocking enough, he knew he heard barking of wolves. "Maya, I think the _byrrgis_ finished. Someone won."

Shadow lay on the ground. When he had tripped, he had rolled right into a stone. While other wolves had left, dragging the moose carcass, Jay stepped over him, a sneer across his face. "I guess I won-" He said and bit Shadow on the ear. "Gnaw wolf."

Shadow didn't try to stand, he was humiliated, ashamed, and saddened. He might never see his friends again. Pushing his paws up, he howled a message to Kia, Maya, and Marlo.

Message: Good bye my friends. You have been good to me. But now you see? I must leave. I will cherish these memories. For I am now gnaw wolf once more. Yet I do not wish things were like they were before. May you never forget who you are. You are not cursed. You are blessed.

Shadow sang before he turned around and started the long trek back to MacDuncan territory, tears streaming down his muzzle.

Marlo gasped. "He lost?" he whimpered.

Fengo saw Marlo's shock and padded down and stood in front of him. "Shadow did not return. And... we believe he returned home to MacDuncan territory. I'm afraid... I'm afraid you will have to go to your tummfraw now. When you return, you will get a special welcome at the hot gates." Fengo told him. Then he secretly leaned in to whisper in heis ear. "You may go visit Shadow. Tell the MacDuncans I gave you permission." Fengo told him before turning around and heading to the volcanoes, the watch wolves following him.

"Yes sir... thank you, sir," Marlo sighed, turning to make his way towards the MacDuncan Clan.

From somewhere deep within the Outermost, a wolf waited for Audren's return. He finally spotted her up ahead. "Did the plan work?" he asked, Audren hesitated, sighed, and shook her head. Her leader growled with rage and snarled. But then, Audren smirked. "But Jay won, we can go on now with the other half," she said

Marlo now arrived at the MacDuncan Clan, his eyes searching for Shadow.

Maya sighed. Jay won what he wanted, but at least his mate, Audren, disappeared.

While Silverside was going towards the ring of sacred volcanos to tell the fate of his second milk giver he had some thoughts of what his bear family was up to. when he started to see ashes in the sky he knew he was close, he slumped down on the ground to make sure he wasn't spotted by the watch. One of the watch had seen him before he had blended in with his surroundings, the wolf howled out his presence if it wasn't for the she-wolf seeing him as a young pup he would've been in trouble the she-wolf had howled "Visitor! It's Silverside!"

Silverside stood up due to being spotted he went to the entrance at press paw speed "May I see the Fengo?" Silverside asked.

"No the fengo is out at the Gaddergnaw right now," one of the wolves at the entrance said.

Audrey, the she-wolf that had spotted him came up to him and asked "Silverside why are you here?"

"I was hoping you wouldn't ask that," he whimpered as tears started flowing down his muzzle.

"Come I have questions for you," Audrey said.

"I guess I have to go to the place I was left," Maya murmured. She had already known where her tummfraw was, it was near the Outermost, mostly at the edge of the borders of Beyond and Outermost. She went there all the time to look at the clear fresh water that glistened like gold in Summer's shiny sun.

Silverside followed Audrey into her den on the way in Audrey asked "What happened to Boomer?"

Silverside started whimpering more "I don't really want to talk about it."

Audrey sat down beside Silverside saying "You will have to sooner ir later," This was true he had to tell the fengo about Boomer as soon as the fengo came back he would tell him.

"Get some sleep you've had a long day but you will have longer in your future you are a young wolf you need sleep" the one thought of what had happened in his mind.

Silverside was fishing with Boomer when they heard wolves behind them Boomer muttered "MacNaans," just loud enough for Silverside to hear then Boomer got pounced on by at least 3 wolves at once Boomer yelled to Silverside "RUN GET AND THE FENGO!" Boomer boomed. Silverside backed away slowly as he watched in terror the MacNaans fighting Boomer he then ran off to the ring of sacred volcanos. Silverside shuddered as he fell asleep

Back in the Outermost, Jay joined Audren hours later with joy written on his face. "Ello, Master Snake! We've completed the first part of our mission, getting into the Watch! Now, what was that second part again? Taking over all-" Jay was interrupted by his boss, Snake, snapping his jaws at him and snarling.

"You DON'T need to say it ALOUD! This is top secret! Last time you spoke our plan out loud, that owl before the badder gnaw heard you! And he reported it to the Fengo! But they didn't mind at the time" Snake hissed, his teeth bared and his voice venomous.

"Shadow?" Marlo asked, poking his head into the caves of the MacDuncans. Where could that wolf be? Some of him felt like he would much rather be throwing sarcastic remarks at Maya and wait for her once-again-sarcastic reply.

Maya was bored, traveling to the Beyond without her best friend Marlo just didn't feel right. "Oh come on Maya! You always walk through the woods without thinking that! But maybe...I just haven't been alone so much after winter..." Maya muttered to herself, 'Just shake it off' Maya thought.

Silverside was woken up to Audrey barking "GET UP! If you need the fengo we will need to go out and find him ourselves."

"Can we just stay here and wait? Could you teach me how you jump so high?" whimpered Silverside nearly falling back asleep.

"Fine but the two tails of yours could actually help you jump higher," Audrey said. Silverside started jumping and wagged his tails like crazy and yipped "Silverside don't be such a pup," Audrey said "Now, can you tell me what happened to Boomer?" Silverside told her everything about the attack.

Marlo dragged his paws, growling. "...Shadow...?" Marlo asked. He finally came up with a solution; he would make a den somewhere close to the MacDuncan Clan and come out of it when Shadow would show up. When it was his time, he would head to the Ring.

"Wake me up when the fengo gets back here," Silverside said yawning. Audrey wondered how a wolf could sleep that much.

"Lazy," Audrey muttered under her breath Silverside's ear twitched when she said that

"Why are you here Marlo?" Shadow's voice rang from atop a large boulder that surveyed the packs caves, eyes on Marlo.

"There you are!" Marlo yipped, running to his friend. "Finbar said I could stay here before I go to the Watch while the others are going to their tummfraws."

Something was different about Shadow. His eyes had shadows over them and he seemed to stick to the shade of the boulder, as if he doesn't want to be seen. "Go back Marlo. You should be at the Ring, where you're safe. Not here." Shadow said with a threatening growl.

"What's wrong?" Marlo asked quietly, noticing something foul about Shadow's voice and appearance. "Safe from what?"

Miles from MacDucan Clan into the Beyond, Maya reached her destination. On the borders of the Outermost and Beyond, Maya saw the area she was left to die in. She had made it so far in life! But, that wasn't going to stop any enemies. Snake jumped from the Outermost, in front of Maya, making her yelp. "Well well well...who are you?" Asked Snake, he didn't want to blow his cover too quickly.

Marlo, way, way, way far away from Maya in the MacDuncan Clan and miles from the Outermost's borders, still stared at Shadow in mystery. Little did he know Maya's peril, or the fact that Shadow was not responding due to his creator's absence on Fanfiction.

Maya growled at Snake. But, he was not worried. He had a grin on his face, just smirking there. "You really expect me to be scared of you? Sorry dear, but your father sees it the other way around" Snake spoke in the most raspy voice, that it just made Maya sick.

"WHO are you and WHY did you call yourself my father?" Maya snarled, enraged by Snake. All she wanted to do was go to her tummfraw.

This petty wolf! Questioning me? Huh! Well, I want to finish my second part of the plan, so I'll have to listen to her...then lure the rest so see...Snake thought, he didn't want his plan to make sense, but he knew what would happen. And once it does, Maya will be fighting her friends off in no time.

"I'll talk to you later, Shadow," Marlo licked his friend's cheek and turned to the Ring.

"I am Snake Mac-you know, that doesn't matter right now. What matters...is your friends," said Snake, Maya scowled. "How would you know about them?" Maya growled, Snake sighed and gave Maya his smile again. "Well, we both have friends, to be even. And we're both cursed. We're alike, you and I. I know more about you than you would ever know about yourself!" barked Shadow in a 'good' tone. Maya stayed silent, letting Snake go on. "Those spirals on your paws, they represent something...something special. But your friend Shadow and Marlo, they wouldn't care...would they? If you were to tell them you were a special thing, they wouldn't care! I have special powers, powers to read minds. I can read the minds of weak sulked. They are smart, but too easy to read. They don't care," Snake convinced Maya, why should she believe this? It's not like he would know what she thinks. "You don't believe me, that's fine! But when they don't care, come back to your tummfraw. I'll be here with my...helpers." And Snake disappeared back into the deep forest. Maya was thoughtless now, but was this wolf right?


	8. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything you can recognize from any book EVER. If you recongnize anything from any movie or book—anything, it isn't mine.**

Chapter 7

Marlo approached the Ring quickly, eyes sweeping for Maya. He would wait for her at the Hot Gates until she showed, and then together, they would enter. He hoped she was alright.

Maya's hackles raised as she pondered, but she managed to make it all the way to the Hot Gates and see Marlo, waiting for her. "Hey Mar. Back from visiting Shadow already?" asked Maya as she approached, a little thought popped into mind. Don't tell him.

"Yeah; I told him I'd come back later. He doesn't seem so good lately." He smiled. "So, how was your trip to your tummfraw?"

Maya winced. "A bit strange, but I remembered the one who saved me-I never knew her name, though. She was what they called a muttgrel...or at least that's what I call her anyway." Maya replied, she had only left out the part of meeting the cursed wolf Snake.

Marlo nudged Maya. "So, how did it go at your tummfraw?" he repeated.

"Strange..." Maya answered again, not wanting to re-explain the whole thing.

"Strange?" Marlo looked puzzled. "What happened?"

"Uh-...ever wonder what that owl was doing in the beginning of the gaddergnaw? I don't! Let's move on!" Maya said, changing the subject quickly.

"What?" Marlo yipped. "What owl? Ooooh, that owl. Did you meet it?"

"No...but I find it strange still...we may meet it," Maya said. She tilted her head slightly. Why did I just tilt my head? The world will never know, Maya thought.

"Do you think we should wait for Kia before entering the Ring?" Marlo suggested.

"Ah it's ok! She'll catch up, I'm sure of it!" Maya said, she then looked around. "Wait, we're already at the Ring, right? Or were we at the Hot thingy something"

Marlo began to trot towards the Hot Gates when two young, new Watch Wolves (though taigas) jumped down to greet them.

"DAH! Crazy Cougars! You scared me!" Maya yelped, actually jumping up.

Marlo laughed, though the two continued.

"Hello," said a blonde furred wolf female. "I'm Winks."

"Winks...wait, you like to wink at people?" Maya answered confusedly.

Winks laughed. "No, it's just I only have one eye, so it looks like I am always winking at others." she answered. "This is Twistling, my friend, and Twist for short."

"Oh...well hello to you Winks and Twist! I am the famous Maya MacDuncan!" Maya announced.

"Come right this way," Winks said, turning towards the Ring.

"Ok Mrs. Winks!" Maya said like a little pup. She yipped and gave a slight chuckle.

Winks laughed, "Just Winks," she smiled. She and Maya were about the same age. Maya yipped. She couldn't wait to go to the watch!

They were led into the glowing gorge, but Marlo could not get his mind off of Kia, and especially Shadow. What was to become of Shadow, and how was Kia doing with her tummfraw?

Maya started to remember what Marlo told her, she had been blinded by him asking about her tummfraw, but he had told her that Shadow wasn't feeling too good. Oh...I hope that the disease isn't catching up to him...I don't need to loose another friend after all these years. "Why so deep in mind, Marlo? Something wrong?" Maya asked without looking at Marlo, only looking ahead.

He grinned shyly. "I guess I'm just so anxious about the Ring."

Maya hopped in front of his tracks. "Are you sure? You didn't seem too anxious about it two hours ago...why now?" Maya asked suspiciously.

"Because two hours ago we weren't doing it," he answered.

Maya frowned at him. "Stubborn..." Maya grumbled as she went to the side of Twistling

"You didn't think you'd go without a proper good bye, did you?" Someone asked from behind them.

"Shadow!" Marlo cried, nuzzling Shadow. "I was worried, and you looked sick, so I thought maybe you wanted time along to feel better. Are you okay?"

"Time, slime! I wanted you three to win, so I aint going to miss you three being welcomed in. Hey twist, hows the paw? Winks, I think your fur is still the same color." Shadow said, acting a little suspicious, having known the two wolves in his time at the ring.

"You know them?" Marlo asked.

"Yes I know them. But I don't want to talk about them. I came to wish you farewell. But where are those snakes Audren and Jay? Keep an eye on them wont you winks? I don't trust them." Shadow growled, his fur still ruffled in unease.

"Well instead of Audren and Jay...we might want to look out for..." Maya stopped herself. "Nevermind," she replied.

"Huh?" Marlo asked.

"It's nothing, just the figment of my imagination acting up again," Maya said, she scratched her ear with her hindpaw.

Marlo frowned, looking off into the distance. "Is that a wolf over there?" he asked.

Maya looked in the distance, "Yeah...I wonder who?" Maya sighed.

"Winks, we'll be right back," Marlo said. "Let's check out who that is."

"Sure" Maya nodded in

Marlo looked around with boredom as they walked.

Seeing two wolves a few minutes after he woke up Silverside saw that they were walking towards him from Winks and Twist "Wonder who they are," Silverside muttered and hung his head down in sadness due to having lost the animal who had taught him everything from eating plants to fishing.

"Who's the shy lad over there?" Shadow whispered to Twist.

"...Hello...?" Marlo asked, approaching the wolf.

"Greetings from the Beyonds! I am Maya and this is Marlo" Maya announced as if she were the Alpha wolf of the pack.

"Wolves of the Watch," Marlo could not help but add just that.

Maya rolled her eyes and a small smirk formed. "So, what are you here for, Two Tails?

"I have a name," Silverside whined still extremely sad. "It's Silverside I was named that by the streaks of silver on my sides, and to answer your question I need to see the Fengo." Tears started to form in his eyes noticing that he tried blinking them away.

"Uh...okay Silverside, why are you crying?" Maya asked, her hackles raised, she hadn't meant to make the poor male cry, but it was so strange to see him crying.

"My second milk giver and myself just got attacked by a pack of MacNaan wolves while fishing. I don't understand why but I know she was a great friend of the Fengo's." Silverside whimpered being such the young wolf he was. Remembering the last time he had seen Boomer was when the MacNaan's had jumped onto Boomer. "She was the only family that really cared for me, now she's gone," Silverside couldn't hold the tears back anymore.

Looking at the somewhat 'paused' Marlo, Silverside asked "What is wrong with him?"

"MacNaan...they've been out for a lot of malcadh lately," Maya replied, almost snarling what she said. She remembered Snake, but that quickly rotted. "Marlo is probably out in his dream world."

"If you thought you made me cry, sorry I shouldn't cry in front of newly met wolves" Silverside said apologetically "It's just losing the one that cared for me dearly just has taken it's toll, who was at the gate with you?" asked Silverside "I can't live on my own easily other than eating plants which I just hate but had to deal with if I ever go to clan life, I also know what they do to wolves like me." Silverside said.

Maya sighed. "That wolf back there, that's Shadow. And don't worry about crying in front of me, I know what it's like to watch life take its toll onto death," Maya said, she only sighed again.

Kia walked after the others.

"Shadow? I think I have heard that name before somewhere..." Silverside started pondering with a strange look on his snout.

"Kia! You've finally decided to come join me and Marlo! Now...WHERE WERE YOU, LADY!" Maya answered excitedly.

Maya looked back at Silverside. "You know...I have this strange feeling that you might know a Shadow I know," Maya replied to Silverside's strange expression.

"Shadow..." Silverside said several times while thinking "Oh!" Silverside jumped higher than he had ever jumped before, "Now I remember there was a wolf a year ago named Shadow that caught an antelope for me while my..." Silverside drifted off nearing tears again.

"Antelope...huh...I'm sorry. I shouldn't keep talking...I'll just make it worse," Maya hesitated and then looked at Silverside. Pain. Sadness. It reminded her of her tough past too. How sorrowful she was for this poor wolf.

Kia watched Maya carefully. "You alright?"

"Yeah, yeah. Just great." Maya grumbled. Shadow...Silverside...Shadow...It is all so confusing was all Maya thought.

Silverside wondered why there was a Shadow outside the gate and if it was a coincidence or if it was the same shadow "What clan is Shadow from?" Silverside asked.

Kia blinked. "I know a few Shadows, but I'm not sure which you are talking about."

"I'm not in a dream world," Marlo muttered. "Just in thought." He continued in thought, when suddenly he saw a familiar and shocking sight, "Mirlo!"


	9. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything you can recognize from any book EVER. If you recongnize anything from any movie or book—anything, it isn't mine.**

Chapter 8

"Marlo- wolf of the Watch! You didn't come to me first?" Mirlo asked, greeting his brother with a nudge.

"Maya, Silverside, etc., meet my brother, Mirlo," Marlo explained.

"Mirlo," Kia greeted.

"Confusing... Just change the 'I' to an 'A' and you have Marlo!" Maya said

"Pretty much," Kia agreed.

Maya nodded. "They must be fraternal twins," Maya whispered.

"Yeah," Kia whispered back.

Maya ended up chuckling.

Mirlo gave a heavy sigh; they were so much alike, all but a small difference in fur color and Marlo's twisted paw. "Now dad must respect you," he laughed. "We didn't think it would turn out that way."

Maya frowned. "Your father didn't...respect you?" asked Maya as she eyed Marlo and Mirlo.

"I'm a malcadh," Marlo sighed.

"It was his choice...but he said no." said Mirlo.

"Idiot..." Maya muttered under her breath, she was taking this out on Marlo's dad. Why would their own father hate them? "You both were the son of a Chieftain! You two deserved to be a Chieftain." growled Maya.

"Of course he does!" Mirlo cried.

"But this doesn't, evidently," said Marlo, lifting his paw that was malformed. "It was my choice... I couldn't standing being a part of a pack that neglects someone just because of something that happened to them that they did not intend."

Silverside shook his head due to the most strangest idea: Could this be the same Shadow from last year? he had thought "Anyway Mirlo, nice to meet you," Silverside said. Silverside also had seen a glimpse of Shadow's father, not the not as bright still pondering about Shadow.

Mirlo noticed Silverside's eyeing and thoughts, and began asking questions. "What's wrong?" Mirlo began. "What'd do you see?"

Marlo turned to his brother. "Mirlo, how about you go back home?" he gave his little brother a shove.

"May we go have a chat with Shadow?" Silverside asked. "I would like to see him to tell if this is the Shadow that helped me out last year."

"It's most likely that our living friend isn't the Shadow you think he is. This is because he would have told us about you," announced Maya after a long brooding. "It's obvious that you may know my former friend Shadow, who was killed by rabies. Our friend Shadow just lives with the disease." she explained.

Marlo whimpered; he felt so sad for Maya and her friend Shadow. He knew not why he card so much for Maya, but he did, unlike he did for any other she-wolf.

Maya glanced at Marlo. "I-...It really doesn't get so depressing once you live with it your whole life." Maya insured Marlo, she didn't want to make him whine. She never did...but it was strange being around Marlo than other wolves.

"Someone say my name?" Shadow interrupted, having heard his name repeated multiple times. "Who are you again?"

"This is Silverside," Marlo introduced. "He wants to see the Fengo." He stepped closer to Shadow, lowering his voice. "Are you alright? You seemed sick when I went to see you."

"What's this all about?" Maya asked the boys, having not been there when Marlo had met with Shadow.

"What?" Marlo asked, looking up.

"Not the Shadow I expected" Silverside muttered.

Maya frowned. "Hmm...I'm a bit convinced that you aren't telling me something," Maya grumbled.

"Who?" Marlo asked. "I'm lost."

"He's usually lost," mumbled Mirlo.

"I thought I told you to leave!"

Maya just growled, a scowl on her face. Snake was right...these...these imbeciles don't even acknowledge me! Maya thought. "I can't believe he was right!" Maya snarled aloud, she had then just started barging off, making her way on the trail to the Watch.

Meanwhile...

"Hey! Audren, I think it's time for me to go. Wish me luck?" Jay asked, "Sure. Go to the Watch and get your business done."

"Master Snake, what do I do?" said Audren. She looked back at her master in the shadows and he growled.

"Get Maya and destroy her. Then, go after her petty little friends. We could use a former moonblinked wolf on our team, and the brunette too." Snake commanded, Audren nodded. I'll go with Jay then...but in the shadows.

Mirlo shoved his brother. "Look what you did; you made her mad!"

"Me?" Marlo barked.

"Maya is my best friend- you think I'd be the one to make her mad? Even if I did, you think I meant to? I told you to leave." Marlo snapped at his brother angrily, running after Maya. "Maya, where are you going?" he called.

"What clan are you from Maya?" asked Silverside remembering what clan Shadow was from but he remembered that Shadow's fathers name was Lord Adair.

"Away from everyone!" said Maya, her angered tone was harsh and brutal. She was going to the Watch, with or without friends.

Just noticing that Maya was going away mad, angered he ran as fast as he could towards her asking "What clan were you in,"

"MacDuncan," Mirlo said to Silverside. "Marlo said ever so many things about her when he first came to me after meeting her." He snickered, leaning in close to Silverside. "I think they're lovers."

"I HEARD THAT!" Marlo yelled from a long way off. "Maya, can you wait?"

Maya paused. Her face heating up from beneath her fur, she was blushing. "We weren't lovers! We were just-uh..." Maya hesitated and stopped walking, it was so embarrassing for hearing it from Mirlo.

"Maya? Do you know what Shadow's fathers name was?" yelled Silverside.

"GAH! You don't need to yell my brains out! His name was Lord Adair the First! But I really don't want to get in my past right now," Maya said, her voice raised so Silverside would know how it feels when somebody yells right in your ears.

Marlo set a paw onto Maya's paw. "Maya, please calm down. I'm trying to quite you- calm you- comfort you. Tell me what's the matter; why did you run?"

Silverside whined an apology and barked out in surprise, "He helped me; LORD ADAIR'S SON HELPED ME!"

Maya looked at Marlo and then to Silverside. "I just overreacted...sorry, guess you don't like wolves like that," Maya said sharply yet calm, but then she faced Silverside and spoke to him. "Shadow was a good wolf. He fed those who were weak and thin. I could see him helping you out a lot," she replied, then she just faced the sun.

Marlo looked at them all, except for Mirlo. "Let's go back to the Watch," he suggested.

"Wait, what do you mean 'was?'" Silverside asked half whimpering.

Marlo held his breath; would Maya be able to tell what had happened again? Was it too painful? He waited in silence.

"He..." Maya shoke her head. "I...he was killed by a diseased wolf named Lamarian. He wasn't bad, but he was...cruel of malcadh in ways. Ducan never told us that he was out, he told us all that he died. But...he was alive. And when me and Shadow went for a walk for some caribou, he...he was killed by Lamarian and...I did nothing. I stood there like a foolish pup would, shocked, terrified...sad." Maya explained, even when her eyes were watery, she held the tears in. Shadow had been her forever friend, and he passed away that treacherous day.


	10. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything you can recognize from any book EVER. If you recongnize anything from any movie or book—anything, it isn't mine.**

Chapter 9

Snake sat in his dark forest. He didn't want to actually destroy Maya, but only in the mental way. Take away her conscious and replace it with something more...deep. He'd get her to do whatever he wanted, so he was planning on going to the MacHeaths' after a while. But all he did now, was meditate. Brood about how his child was doing (guess who it is) and sigh.

After a couple of minutes past, he got up on all fours and ended up tumbling facedown into the ground. He snarled and white-foaming saliva escaped his mouth. "It's acting up again! Grr...being a former victim of Cags himself just as Maya's friend was is hard. It's rare that some are immune to such a disease as this one," mumbled Snake to himself as he got back on his paws. He snorted and then carefully toke each step at a time, with a slow pause when his sickness started acting up.

"It wasn't your fault, Maya," Marlo said, trying not to sound rude.

"But I allowed it to happen! Me! It is" said Maya, guilty eyes looking into Marlo's.

Marlo pressed his head against hers, nuzzling her. "What happened is what happened... there's nothing you can do about it." he looked into her cross-colored eyes. "But I promise this: I hope that I will be the friend Shadow was to you."

Maya smiled at Marlo, giving a small nudge. "Thanks...it's good to hear it from a friend for once in a lifetime," said Maya with a sooth tone, giving a signal to Marlo that she was calm now and there would be no more drama.

"Silverside, Maya and I are taking you to the Watch!" Marlo barked.

"YAY! Wait - what? Well um...we barely know more about him I think. All we know is that he lived with a bear and that he was saved by Shadow." Maya said as she scratched her head. She wasn't sure how Silverside was supposed to make it to the Watch.

"He wants to meet the Fengo. I'll take him to the Hot Gates and see if Fengo will come and speak to him." Marlo said. "Let's go."

"Okay, okay...so we'll do that and then he'll come" Maya said. Then she headed off, being the first to go to the Hot Gates.

"Hamish!" Marlo called. "There's a wolf here who wants to speak to you."

Hamish trotted towards them, catching sight of Silverside.

Silverside bowed, or lowered his head slightly

"Well my friends. This looks like goodbye. I'll make sure to visit once-in-a-while." Shadow told them before nodding his head to the Fengo and turning around to leave. "And Maya. Marlo. Kia. Take care of yourselves." Then he broke off onto a slow run before disappearing over the small hills that showed in front of the hot gates.

Marlo wished he could speak to Shadow more often. There was something off about him... a sickness inside. It wasn't fair that wolf did not get to go to the Watch.

As Shadow proceeded to his home in the MacDuncan territory once more, he couldn't help wonder if this would be the last time he ever saw his friends again. He took a silent oath to himself to protect those he loved after he learned his mother died because of him. He didn't want to lose anyone one else he cared most about. Oh... Kia? Marlo? Maya? Is it wrong for me to lose faith in my friends? Shadow thought to himself before turning and breaking into a full out run for the MacHeath's.

Arriving in time, he saw that he was welcomed by a byrrgis of maybe twenty wolves.

"What do you want?"

"Why are you here?"

"You should leave!"

"Where did my mother die?" Shadow demanded.

"You are in no position to make demands." A wolf said. At that, the wolf jumped on him and bit his ear.

Instead of entering the submissive like the law demands, he clapped his paws onto the wolf's sides and rolled her over until he stood over. "Where?!" He said, bringing foam up into his mouth. At that, some of the wolves panicked and turned tail running for the safety of their pack. "A-at Seagulls peak." She stuttered.

Barring his teeth one last time, Shadow took off towards Seagulls peak.

Maya's nose twitched. She waited for Hamish to reply to Silverside as he still bow in position. She didn't know if she had to or not, considering now that she was a Watch Wolf.

With Snake After Shadow Leaves MacHeaths…

"I need to know where Old Cags is. Tell me" he snarled, a she-wolf pointed her muzzle in the direction of where Cags was now held. He'd been moved to a different place, to The Pit as wolves called it now. He used to be a wonderer, staying among the MacHeaths' and giving them the disease, killing a lot of them. They had to move the Old Geezer, ha. Fools thought Snake as he walked to The Pit. He entered it and looked around.

It was dim inside the pit, little sunshine at this hour. Snake spotted a figure, Old Cags. He laid on the ground of the cave he lived in. "Tell me, Cags, how did you learn to Moonblink wolves?" asked Snake, his voice grim and raspy. Old Cags awoke to Snake and let his usual strange grunts and snarls. As any crazed wolf would.

"Come on inside, friends: welcome to the Watch," Hamish turned around, leading the wolves inside. Marlo was closely next to Maya, hoping Shadow would return soon.

"He'll be fine. I'm sure of it," Maya whispered to Marlo, it was as if she could read him like a book. She knew that he was unsettled about Shadow, him not being able to come with her and the rest to the Watch.

Hamish stopped at a den. "Here; stay here for the night. We'll speak in the morning. Also, in the morning, you'll have your first watch. Then I'll speak to Silverside."

"Okay! But...is there at least something to gnaw on here? I kind've got used to that now..." Maya said, feeling embarrassed to admit it.

Winks suddenly burst into the den, a few bones in her mouth. She dropped them hastily on the floor, her tail thumping on the floor. "There! Sorry I was late."

Maya's eyes widened. "Uh...wow...great timing, Winker!" she said, her mouth dropped open.

Winks nodded, submitted, and ran out. She was very spry, especially for a Watch Wolves. Marlo thought they would be solemn.

Maya laughed. "It's so strange how things just happen for no random reason for nothing!" Maya said as she looked at Marlo.

Marlo tipped his head to one side in half agreement and half confusing. "To say 'for no random reason' means it has a purposeful reason. But I get your point; that was random."

"GAH! I'm tired again! Why! Why did we have to get tired so easily!" Maya let a fake moan of grief out and then sat down, shaking her head. Maya yawned.

Marlo curled up to get some rest.

Maya looked around. "Oh well...I'll just fall asleep where I am at...no sense in bothering anybody." Maya murmured sleepily as she snuggled down and shut her eyes. It was hard getting to sleep though...

Marlo could not seem to get any sleep that night. He got up, circled again, and lay down closer to Maya. He thought back to his days in the west, though those were long ago. They made him sad, too. Maya was his best comfort, along with Shadow and Kia.

Maya peeked one eye open. Restless just like me, Mar-Mar? Wonder what's with tonight...strange Maya thought. "Is something bothering you?" Maya whispered, she had felt better getting her past out, but she was always there to lend a paw for a friend in need. Always.

"Just... tired and stressed," Marlo muttered. "I'm worried about Shadow, and to be honest, you."

"It's ok. Whatever happens to me, happens to me. But with Shadow, I'd be as worried and stressed as you, too." Maya said as she looked at the moon from outside as it shined inside the den.

"I wish he were here," Marlo whimpered. He thought of his brother, mother, and father. "Where are your parents?" he finally asked.

Maya suddenly went quiet. "I...don't really know. I never knew them..." she said, it was a true fact that she had never knew them, but she had heard rumors of her being the child of a she-wolf named Lupe, but she didn't believe it one bit. They wouldn't know, only she would.

"I can't imagine what it would be like never meeting your parents," whimpered Marlo.

"Well...it's okay I mean...why would you want to see the people who let you die anyway?" Maya muttered, she frowned.

"I don't think your parents would want you dead. I think that they just can't break the law." Marlo whimpered, "My mum did."

"Well...your mother was the mate of a Chieftain! She could break the law anytime she wanted to. I'd never throw my own husband in jail...or in your father's perspective, 'throw my own wife in jail'!" Maya explained. She was brave, but why had her parents not been? If they had, why hadn't they just ran off with her?

Shaking his head not understanding why he was still bowing because nobody was there he wondered where the others went, Silverside vowed to howl each night before he got to the ring and after that each year on the night he was sent to the Fengo so Silverside started howling. "Oh great Lupus why did this have to happen?" Silverside started musically his howling sounded somewhat like a mellophone.

Marlo lifted his head, ears erect. "Do you hear that?" he whispered. "Silverside is howling... it's very beautiful if you ask me." he looked down at Maya. He felt so stupid a foolish; it was not until recently that he had began seeing her as beautiful beyond anyone else. What was this he was feeling?

"Yeah...but, very sorrowful and remorse" Maya whispered back, her voice had been getting distinct as she started to fall in a drousy trance of sleep.

When Silverside was finished howling he dug a small hole to make for a makeshift den

"Young'un, what are you doing? Get over here now." A _taiga_ said, seeing Silverside outside. Nudging him into a den, he guided him to a couple of moose pelts.


	11. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything you can recognize from any book EVER. If you recongnize anything from any movie or book—anything, it isn't mine.**

Chapter 10

Marlo fidgeted on his pelt. He had one of the best nights of sleep he had had in his life that night. But morning came too soon, and Hamish was soon there for them.

"Hey Hamish wolf..." Murmured Maya waking up.

Having the strangest thought about Boomer, Silverside wondered about Thunderheart (his sister that was about 6-7 years older than him; couldn't think of a different name for her) and how she was, he was hoping that she was in a better condition than Boomer.

Marlo looked up, stretched, and licked Maya as a greeting. "First day of watch!" he exclaimed excitingly.

"Let's hope I know what to do!" Maya said in a squeaky voice as she stretched. She wondered what was going on in the minds of her friends...Marlo about his parents...what about Silverside?

A wolf trotted in, his name being Dremrin. He had golden fur and bright green eyes, and gave Marlo a nudge. "I'm your taiga!" he introduced. He was old enough to be Marlo's father, though he had the looks of a wolf as old as all of the new arrivals. "Let's get to work."

Maya went wide eyed at the sight of the old taiga and almost ended up laughing. But she managed to laugh mentally.

Marlo was led away, though looked back a last time to his friend in the den.

"Bye" Maya whispered, barely audible even to her own keen hearing.

Marlo did hear something, though he could not understand it. He was slightly tired of big ears, but they were very useful. He had to stop thinking of Maya and his ears; he had to focus on watching.

Maya sat down impatiently. Already impatient! Wonder when Mar will come back...no, Marlo. Not Mar, Maya thought as she shook her head slightly.

Silverside hated daydreaming now he had to run to the hot gates by himself. At press-paw speed he should get there by nightfall.

"Where do you think you'll be going?" Maya asked roughly to Silverside, noticing that he was eager to go out. She gave him a glare because of her suspicion and went over to him.

"To... practice on hunting," Silverside lied, just noticing that Maya was still there.

Marlo felt he could not take this. Watch Wolf? He did not feel worthy. Shadow needed this more than he did... could he even do it?

Maya looked at Silverside wearily and sensed his lie. She was good at doing this. "Tell me the truth, Two Tails," Maya let the name escape her lips.

"I _need_ fresh water!" Silverside exclaimed he had this feeling, a very strange one that something bad is going to happen, just like before himself and Boomer had been attacked. "I also have this very strange feeling that something bad is going to happen if I don't get moving as well..." Silverside said.

Maya frowned. "Okay. Go..." She growled. His tone actually sounded harsh so it made her snarl by instinct. It was a feral snarl that was scary to most of her prey that she gets...but he was prey

Marlo could hear her snarl from his cairn, and actually began to ignore his taiga. If there was something wrong with Maya he wanted to be the first to know. This brought him to the thought of Shadow. He couldn't leave that wolf with the MacDuncans as a gnaw wolf. There had to be a way to get him into the Watch.

Maya sighed and then just waited, bored.

Suddenly, a lightly silver furred wolf by the name Kalamar jumped infront of Maya. "Wah!" she yelped.

He smirked. "Yo! Don't be so ditzy over it! Sheesh," laughed Kalamar, making Maya scowl. She was supposed to be the childish one. Not Kalamar! "So you're my...taiga?" Maya about screamed, Kalamar let another smirk escape.

"Yep! Yo' gonna be stuck with me for the Watch, my friend" he said in slang. It disgusted Maya and she frowned.

Marlo had a lot of fun on Watch that day. There were many troubles, but he managed alright.

"How are our new watch wolves today?" Fengo asked as he trotted over to them. "And where is that MacNaan wolf? He was required here many days ago."

"That MacNaan wolf is coming and not Shadow?" Marlo asked, bewildered.

"I'm as surprised as you dear Marlo. But what can I do? All the packs will be outraged at the sight of us welcoming him here." Fengo said. Then he leaned in to whisper into his ear. "Did you not notice how Shadow staggered during the games?"

"I did, a little, I guess..." Marlo replied. "Why?"

"Wolves don't usually stagger like that." Fengo continued.

Jay came suddenly, interrupting the Fengo's conversation with Marlo. "Something held me back. It was just a bird," growled Jay, he'd only heard the one whisper.

"Huh?" Marlo asked. "A bird did what?"

Jay growled. "Grand Kanon. He kept asking me strange questions." he replied with a frown, there seemed to be a ghastly hiss of wind flow after Jay had said this. Grand Kanon was above them.

"Like what?" Marlo asked, wondering how Jay had suddenly gotten into the Watch.

Jay scowled. "Why I'm talking with you," he shot back nastily, he gave him a glare and then walked up to the Watch to see Maya walking with her taiga, Kalamar, to Marlo. Maya's eyes looked at Jay's as they passed each other, everything seemed to slow down and Maya could hear Jay's evil chuckle under his breath. "Why..." she growled, Kalamar nudged her and knocked her back to reality.

Marlo noticed something wrong with Maya. He kept his thoughts to himself. "Hi, Maya," he smiled.

"Hey. Did you know he'd be here?" Maya kept her voice low so the wolf, Jay, wouldn't hear her.

Marlo shook his head. "No. He just appeared here. I don't know where he got in."

Maya frowned. "Well...bad news...I got this young weird taiga...Kalamar...he's so weird," Maya grumbled to Marlo, Kalamar scowled.

"Yo why you talkin' about me like that? I was just born in the Outclan' Territors." growled Kalamar as he went to Maya's side.

"Well what's wrong with him?" asked Marlo.

Maya's eye twitched. She then sighed and her head hung. "He talks like he is...grr!" she growled, hopeless for Marlo to find out.

"He talks like he's grr...?" Marlo laughed. "What is it, Maya?"

"It's that she's my student and she respects me more than other wolves like you." Kalamar growled. He nudged Maya and she glared at him.

"One more time of that and I swear I'll bite you so hard you will go numb," she threatened, he acted as if he was her own little brother.

"I don't get it," Marlo muttered. "Why don't you both listen to each other? Kalamar will teach Maya to jump, and Maya will teach Kalamar to listen to his student."

"Okay Kalamar, keep nudging me and teach me to jump, and I'll teach you to listen to me better!" Maya said in a former way. Kalamar gave a blank stare at both the wolves.

"Oi, those two are complete bonkers!" grumbled the owl, Grand Kanon, gruffly. He flew down to the ground, to the Watch Wolves. "Hello Watch Wolves! Taiga Kalamar, why do you pester them?"

"I am not a pester" growled Kalamar.

Maya ended up laughing at Kalamar. "It's pest! I'm not being a pest! Not pester!" laughed Maya.

"Grand Kanon," Marlo greeted. "I haven't spoken to an owl yet. Though, I do remember seeing you a very long time ago. Have you found enough bonk embers?"

"You are late Jay!" Hamish snapped at Jay as he passed him, hoping Marlo got the message then stopped and turned to the wolves. "Has anyone seen Shadow by the way? He usually visits every 2 days or so. How long have you two been training? Three days?"

"I do wish he'd come," Marlo sighed. "He deserves this, Hamish. I've been wanting to ask if I may resign for him to come into my place."

A couple surrounding wolves, stopped in utter shock at what he said. Slowly all eyes rested on Hamish as he slowly turned around. "Shadow is worthy choice for our ranks. You are right. He should have joined our ranks many days ago but only if you find him. Silence!" Fengo snapped as Jay was about to challenge him. "It was agreed with his friend when we found him that he should join. He was raised here for many months and he deserves to come home. Only if his chieftain agrees and only if his family does. I can say no more. Go find him." He ordered and disappeared into his den, unaware about the current status of Shadow's family.

Marlo nodded and trotted to Maya. After a quick goodbye, he set out to find Shadow, hoping that Silverside, Maya, or Kia might join him. He soon found Shadow's scent, and though it was slightly old, he followed it.


	12. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything you can recognize from any book EVER. If you recongnize anything from any movie or book—anything, it isn't mine.**

Chapter 11

"Watch...yay" Maya grumbled after they left. Grand Kanon also had left. So alone...but Jay was still there.

"Hey Maya. Come with me to the den" he said faintly, Maya shook her head. Her taiga, though, had said that she could go. Kalamar said that he'd stay and watch, since the Chieftain wasn't here.

Jay was in the den with Maya.

"What?" She sighed.

Jay smirked. "Moonblinking. Ever heard of it?" asked Jay, and she nodded.

"What about it?" she asked, getting nosy.

"Snake. He knows how to do it. Learned from the MacHeath. Want to learn it?"

Maya scowled. "Never! It's too cruel!" She snarled.

Marlo was getting a stronger scent, though he knew not where Shadow was going. He had to keep following.

"What are you doing here?" A MacHeath growled as Marlo approached.

"Oh, why not learn moonblinking? Its fun!" Jay said.

Maya gave an odd face. "Fun...?"

Marlo gulped at the size of the wolf. "Looking for a friend... why?" he replied.

"Yeah! Just think of it...power over any living thing's mind," said Jay, his voice with a convincing tone.

Maya lifted an eyebrow. "Anything? No." she grumbled.

Jay frowned. "Trust me. Your friends won't...please, I'm different than Audren. I may have done evil, but won't you forgive?" asked Jay with whines and pleads.

Dremrin looked down strangely at the two wolves talking below. What is he saying...? he thought.

Maya sighed, but she felt like she was being observed and her hackles raised. Jay looked up to see another wolf, Dremrin.

"Hi!" Dremrin called.

"Hi" Maya said, this wolf was Marlo's taiga. Jay snarled at Dremrin.

"You seem upset, Jay," Dremrin said in a fake concern. "May I ask why?"

"Oh, just that I can't talk to poor Maya in peace. She really needs a talking to," Jay said in his best cheerful fake voice. Maya glared at Jay. "Something about moon-!" Jay nudged her.

As Silverside was clearing his mind and practicing hunting he got a whiff of a familiar scent which was Shadow's (son of Lord Adair) Maya said he was dead how is this possible? he thought. (Silverside's tummfraw is an Ice floe near the black glass desert on the river) Silverside wondered what was going on because his senses were better than any other wolf he knew.

Shadow, son of Adair, sauntered meekly down an ice flow. Maya... He thought. Just two days earlier, he had awoken. Buried within the ground after the storms. Corpse still in good condition. He was known to be dead, but he had escaped it, faking.

He didn't have the disease, but he was haunted with guilt because of his poor Maya...

The supposed-dead wolf could hear a wolf miles away. He heard the malcadh Silverside.

"You know what?" Marlo smiled to the MacHeath wolf. "I doubt he's here. I'll go look somewhere else." With that, he ran off.

Before Marlo could move, the wolf blocked him. "Why try finding your cursed friend, cursed wolf? It's just another failed idea. How does it feel to be different? How does it feel not to be normal?" The wolf; Maxon of the MacHeath sneered. "I used to pity you wolves but now I think you're just a stupid excuse for living beings. Why don't you ignorant excuse of wolves and all the others at the Ring leave? Normal wolves do a much better job at anything than you cursed wolves. That's what all you wolves are cursed!" Maxon jeered at Marlo, not caring whether he would react or not. If this wolf attacked him, he would have one more excuse for killing their pathetic species. "Cursed one! Demon! Bug! You are just a little bug," Maxon said, motioning to an ant on the ground before slamming his paw onto it, killing it. "A bug that needs to die." Maxon said, a wicked smile on his face.

Marlo felt a tear in his eye- not because of these remarks, but because he would remember his father's disownment long ago. "I will return to the Ring to anger you less," he said slowly. "I am sure the Fengo will be delighted to hear your immense respect for a Watch Wolf. Your words may annoy me, but really... bug? That's the best you could come up with? How about rat- agent of the Dim World- master of the Dim World- evil portrait of wolf? I've had enough. Thank you."

"Hey Marlo, son of Aldwyn MacAngus, how does it feel to be the son of a coward? How does it feel to be lesser than your brother? How does it feel to be cursed?" Maxon taunted, not scared at his promises of telling the Fengo.

Marlo stood tall. "Fine, thank you," he replied. "What is it that makes my father a coward? That makes it bad to be lesser than my brother? That makes me sad to be cursed? I'm fine now- my family loves me enough, I am a Watch Wolf, and I have friends who love me. I am anything but cursed."

"It makes him a coward because he wasn't brave enough to keep his mate from leaving. And take a look in a mirror sometime." Maxon sneered, not losing his touch before bounding off.

A wolf watched from behind a bush and stepped out, it was Airmead. "I'm sorry about Maxon. He's just not like his brother. If you're looking for him, he went to the blood watch." Airmead said in a friendlier tone.

Marlo nodded. "Thank you," he said, submitting before turning back towards the Ring. He would try to look for Shadow along the way, but he had to get to Watch soon.

The royal Shadow made his idea of changing his name to Shade. He started to head towards the direction of the Watch. He wanted to get word to Fengo.

Marlo was hopeless in his searching. He wished Shadow would appear somewhere, so he headed east in further search.

Shade somehow managed to make his way, staggering, to the Watch. "Ello?!" Cried Shade.

This is hopeless, thought Marlo. He thought maybe he could go back to the Watch, tell Maya of how he had failed, and then rest before setting out again. Maybe Shadow could find him.

Maya walked out of the den on the Watch to see a raggedy wolf outside. "Hey! Why are you here?" growled Maya, Shade backed up.

Marlo could now see Maya, so he quickened his pace into the Ring. He trotted up beside her, glancing at the raggedy wolf.

"Ah, Marlo. Good of you to arrive. I'm afraid I have some terrible news. And who are you young man?" The Fengo asked, looking from Marlo to the raggedy furred wolf.

Marlo was eager to hear the bad news, but he waited for the wolf to answer.

"I'm uh...Shade, I have come to talk to you, Fengo, for personal reasons," replied Shade. He shuddered as he looked at Maya.

"Shade?" Marlo asked. He had heard Maya speak of him before.

"Wait inside my den." Fengo told shade before turning to Marlo. "Marlo. Dear, loyal and friendly Marlo. It's about Shadow you see. I'm afraid he's gotten very sick." Fengo told him and his eyes looked rather spooked about speaking about it.

Marlo's tail shot upwards. "What?" he asked. "Where is he?"

"He is here. He came here looking for you. We don't know what has happened. We thought you might know. He's been asking for you for quiet some time now." Fengo explained.

I knew he looked sick, Marlo thought. "I'd like to see him," he said.

Shade waited as if he'd never been there. Silent as a shadow...he peeked looks over at Maya, but noticed she had been disturbed by him.

She only waited, just like the strange wolf had. Overhearing Marlo and the Fengo's talking while she daydreamed.

"He is in my den. Go see him. I must see to our Guest." Fengo nodded to Marlo before turning to Shade. "How can I help you?"

As Fengo and Shade had their conversation, Marlo trotted off quickly towards Hamish's den, peeking inside to find Shadow.

"It will be oddly strange but...I used to be dead. I was the son of Adair, leading in his footsteps when Lamarian killed me. I'm not being cags mag, it's the truth! I swear to you Fengo." said Shade calmly.

Maya silently followed Marlo. "Blahuaaaa!" Maya nearly cried in Marlo's ear.

"HUH?"

"Hi! I haven't talked to you for almost years!" exaggerated Maya. She have him a grin. "What's gone on between you and the fengo?"

"Shadow is sick," Marlo muttered sadly. "I don't know why."

After hearing this, her grin faded into a frown. "What? Do...do you think it's the..." Maya paused. "Disease?"

Marlo whimpered. "I hope not," he whispered. "I'll have to ask the Fengo."

"Really hope it isn't. We really don't need anymore deaths from the cursed disease" she grumbled. "I'd go straight up to his infector and bite him". Maya hated deaths from the disease. It turned you into a crazed monster before you were cruelly and brutally killed by it.

"Yes, but I bet that would make you sick too," Marlo suggested. "Why don't you just claw him?"

Maya looked down at her claws. Her claws were too short. Most Canis Dirius were known for their strong and powerful bone crushing jaws. "I'm sure it wouldn't." She said. "And if I were, I'd stay away from you, Marlo. So I wouldn't get you infected."

Marlo nuzzled her. "I just hope everything turns out fine." he whispered.

"Me too," she sighed. She only gave him a short little nuzzle. She'd never actually given a nuzzle to a wolf before.

Marlo growled, walking away. "Fengo?" he called.

A voice interrupted his call. "Marlo? Is that you? Come closer my friend. I'm afraid I can't see.'' Shadow's voice said from the den.

Marlo turned around, running towards the den. "Shadow!" he cried. "Are you alright? I heard you were sick!"


	13. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything you can recognize from any book EVER. If you recongnize anything from any movie or book—anything, it isn't mine.**

Chapter 12

"Come closer. I can hear you but I can't see." Shadow said to his friend, inside he had a poultice tied around his eyes with moose fur.

Marlo came in closer. "Has the sickness blinded you? Is it the milky-eyed disease? Are you going to be alright?"

"No, my friend. I was attacked by another one like myself. He clawed at my eyes. I was lucky to escape. I would have killed him with my,... gift. But He has the same immunity as me. I don't know how to explain it." Shadow said, licking his friends head reassuringly.

"But who else could?" Marlo thought aloud

"He's is someone I do not know. He had the smell of the outermost on him. And now I have to ask, where are Jay and Audren?" Shadow demanded, fear sparking in his voice for the safety of his friend's.

Marlo's ears became erect. "That is a good question," he replied. "I do not know. I think Jay was here not too long ago."

Shadow did not respond but moves his head in Marlos direction.

Jay lurked in the shadows and then illuminated from the darkness in front of Shadow and Marlo. "Hello," his grim voice said. He had heard them talking about him, but Jay had been busy getting Maya to talk to him.

Marlo jumped in front of Shadow. "What are you doing here?" he barked. "Who let you in? Why are you in here?"

Jay chuckled. "I'm a Wolf of the Watch too, remember petty pup? And anyways...I have the rights you have."

Jay couldn't believe the weakling that approached him. So what if he was the son of a chieftain, he had no true power! In his own thoughts.

Marlo growled. "You should have no rights," he barked. "Where you never taught not to eavesdrop? Get out of this den at once, lest I give you a good bite!"

I pity this wolf, thought Jay. Then, Jay let a terrible snarl and bared his long fangs, eyes full of bloodlust.

Marlo bared his teeth as well, spreading his legs apart to be prepared for anything. He kept his tail and ears high in dominance. "Is it a fight you want?" he barked.

"I guess it ism" snarled Jay back, he then pounced onto Marlo and tried to snatch his neck. But he couldn't.

Marlo kicked him off, jumping back up and preparing for the next strike. He was a little dazed from Jay's previous hit, but he tried to shake it off.

Suddenly, Jay's back leg collapsed on him, he let a wail and then broke to the ground.

Marlo ceased in his dominance postures. "Jay?" he yelped, jumping towards him.

Maya arrived and then saw Jay and Marlo. "What the-Marlo! What'd you do!" Maya barked, scowling.

Jay whimpered and looked up at Maya. "He attacked me..." Jay groaned.

Marlo nudged Jay, helping him up. "If I did cause his leg to collapse I am truly sorry. But as I remember, Jay came out of the darkness and we got into a fight. He jumped onto me, I kicked him off, he stood up, and then fell over."

Maya sighed. "Jay came from the darkness and attacked you? Highly enological." she muttered.

Marlo sighed. "I'm glad you trust me, Maya," he whispered. "But I will not lie. I don't know how he did, but he was in here the entire time until I came in to check on Shadow. He didn't attack me... I overreacted and told him to leave. That's when we got into the fight."

Yay. So overreaction. Can't blame Marlo, happens to me at points..."Well sorry. And I don't know if that whisper was sarcasm or not." replied Maya, Jay limped over to Maya.

"You actually believe the foolish wolf?" Jay growled. He glowered with rage, he couldn't convince the she-wolf into anything!

Marlo whimpered. "Listen, Jay- I may be foolish at times, but I don't lie. You know very well what just happened, and you should be ashamed for lying!"

He snorted with disgust. "You all will die. I can't wait until Snake can regain power from the Dim World..." he mumbled. Maya's eyes widened. She shuddered and backed away.

Marlo backed away as well. "What did you say?" he asked.

Jay smiled. "My Master will destroy you all. One by one...heart by heart..." he said, his grin creeping wider and wider as he said it.

Marlo gulped; who was this wolf?

"Ha. Pathetic. Weak-minded. Those are your flaws, Marlo," he growled.

Marlo wanted to tell on him, but was that being too much like a pup? What was this wolf talking about? The Dim World?

"Uhh...okay...uh...Jay! Look! Squirrel!" cried Maya, Jay ran off towards the woods, in search of the squirrel.

Marlo looked impressed. "I didn't know that actually worked..." he mumbled.

Maya smiled. "He gets sidetracked easily! And anyways, his stomach kept growling the whole time he annoyed me," replied Maya

"Oooh,"

"You really have to watch them evil ones" Maya said as if she were some elder wolf.

"...I do..."

"Why so un-talkative?"

"That was a little weird..."

"Yes, it was very awkward. Lets just forget it ever happened"

Marlo nodded, exiting the den.

Maya did...I don't know.

Having forgotten he was still in the den, Shadow pawed away the poultice around his eyes. They had healed but there would be permanent scar's around his eyes. Walking, he exited the den and padded after his friends. "Maya, Marlo! Did you not smell it on him?" Shadow asked, trying not to look them in the eye so they would not see the butchering that was brought upon his face. His eyes would recover but he would have the scars permanently.

Marlo was concerned and slightly saw the scars, but guessed Shadow was ashamed of them and kept that subject away. "I didn't smell anything on him; he came and went too quickly for me to notice. Why?"

"He had the scent on him!" Shadow whimpered, ears flattened on his head, eye's wide with fear, tail ducked so far between his legs it looked like he didn't have one. "He had the scent of the one who attacked me! You heard him, if he's working for this 'Snake' then none of you are safe!" Shadow barked urgently.

"We have to tell Hamish," suggested Marlo.

"Are you listening?!" Shadow snarled at him, ears shoved forward, hackles raised, tail erect. "I don't want any of my friends dying!"

Silverside finally getting some thoughts out of his head decided that he would go back to the watch.

"I saw Snake before...I can't believe he attacked you!" Maya exclaimed. The scars told the history of his attack. Snake would have to pay. He'd have to!

Forest…

Jay snickered, Audren had ran into him while stalking the groupie. "So Jay, what did you do?" Growled Audren disappointed.

"I told th-oh no...I wasn't suppose to..." Jay gulped. But Snake then arrived, scars and deep bites marking him. White foamed from his mouth. "Shut up! Both of you! I want to carry out with the plan!" snarled Snake, they were quieted.

But Audren spoke "Not now, they already know. We should wait it out a bit, till they forget—"

"Till that idiot Shadow forgets" replied Snake more calmer.

Shadow stumbled around for a little, getting used to the light again. Sitting down next to a cairn guarding stormfast, he looked out on the horizon. The sun was setting and it looked like the forest that rested in front of the sun on the hills was on fire. "When will this end..." He whispered to himself as he rested his head on his paws and fell asleep.

"What ya doing, Shadow?" Marlo asked, trotting up the cairn.

"Wha-? Oh it's you. Hello Marlo." Shadow said in a depressed tone. "Not much is up except for the fact that there's a wolf out there that could kill my friends. I was just wondering when I can actually be at peace. You know I have a little brother? He hate's me! I don't think I'll ever be at peace with Maxon. I just- I want it to stop." Shadow explained to his friend.

Marlo whimpered. "Well, Shadow, the best thing to do is to forgive him. I know it's difficult... but forgiveness is always the best choice, especially when you're forgiving someone you don't like. I have to forgive my father... I am his oldest son and he hates me. We will defeat this enemy, but we have to keep forgiving each other."

"That's the problem. I have forgiven Maxon. But he will never forgive me for what I did." Shadow said sadly.

"If you don't mind my asking, but... what happened?" Marlo asked.

Shadow ear's flicked up as if he saw something but he didn't move, just turned his head away, ears lowering in sadness. "He died." Shadow whispered

"Who died?" Marlo asked.

"Er... my dad died." Shadow explained, not looking at Marlo. "He was killed by a monster."

"Oh," Marlo sais quietly. "Why is Maxon mad at you for that?"

Shadow got up and walked a few paces away until he faced the sun, it looking like the sun was trying to envelope around him. "Because I killed him." Shadow said sadly.

"...What...?" Marlo asked after a silence. "How? Why?"

"He thought I was cursed and he attacked me. I bit him in self defense. He died at my paws 2 years ago. I never forgave myself." Shadow explained, not turning to face his friend.

"How were you supposed to know he would die from one bite?" Marlo asked, as if angry. "Maxon has no right to be angry at you for defending yourself and accidentally killing someone."

Maya could hear a bit of what Marlo and Shadow had been talking about, and once she heard that Shadow killed a person...her eyes widened. _He killed his own...DAD?_ Maya's brain told her to move in to the conversation, but the boys had to have their discussion. Same as the way she-wolves have their private discussions. Maybe Snake had been right. Maybe she really...couldn't trust her friends.

So, the scarlet she-wolf had started following instinct and finding a hiding spot, so she could overhear the talk between them. She was just too curious.

"I killed him. At least 2 weeks passed and winter struck. I met someone who told me to control this curse. Then... then he died as well. I met Maxon after winter, at least a couple months and I introduced myself in the Crooked Black ridge. That's how I found out he hated me... when he tried to kill me. If you've ever seen that scar on the side of his neck, that was of my own doing. Just like my shredded ear is his doing."

"He should have known you did not mean to hurt anyone!" Marlo seemed angry. It was terrible that Shadow's dad had been killed by him, and there was no way of stopping what had happened. But Maxon was Shadow's brother- he should have realized it was an accidental kill.

_Poor Shadow... _thought Maya. He must've had a very hard life...

"I don't know what's happening to me." Shadow said suddenly. "I think I'm losing control. I almost killed someone at the Gaddergnaw games Marlo. I almost killed Audren. I almost killed you when you came looking for me. It's only a matter of time." said Shadow in fear for his friends.

"But you can control it," Maya said, coming out of hiding. "It may be a curse...but you're tough enough to beat it."

"None of us are cursed," Marlo barked. "They may say we're cursed, but look where we are? Isn't it packers who submit to us now? Shadow, think of all the blessings you have! You're a Watch Wolf, you have friends who care dearly for you. And we're stopping at nothing until we can help you."

"Not a day goes by that I'm not grateful for the blessings I have. And not a day goes by where I'm not reminded of who I really am." Shadow said, talking about how some watch wolves look at him in fear.

"Well I know who you really are," Marlo barked. "You're my friend."

Shadow turned to his friend, tears sliding down his muzzle, stinging the wounds but he didn't care. His tail wagged happily because he had friends that cared no matter what he did, or who he was.

"Let's keep on with our watches!" Marlo exclaimed happily.

"What? I kindve got lost when it turned from drama to joyful," Maya said.

"Fengo might not be pleased if we don't continue on our watches," said Marlo.

"Oh, okay. Hard to think of us being Watch Wolves so..." Maya silenced and headed to the Watch.


	14. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything you can recognize from any book EVER. If you recongnize anything from any movie or book—anything, it isn't mine.**

Chapter 13

Silverside panting from being tired got to the hot gates and got to his den and smelt blood and he just ran to the smell. He smelled 2 different blood trails one smelled familiar then he remembered that it was one of the MacNaan wolves blood and almost collapsed at the thought of that then the other smelt like Maya's and Marlo's friend Shadow. What is with me am I going cag mag? Silverside asked himself. Silverside then padded off to Maya and the rest.

Marlo's ears pricked up in his thought; he noticed Silverside walking by.

"Hey Marlo" Silverside said with a bit of sorrow in his voice. "Can I ask you something?"

Maya tilted her head. "Marlo has dozed off into his dream world again" The scarlet wolf said as she nudged Marlo. He still just stood there, glassy eyes shining as the sun's rays hit them. It was pretty creepy when they didn't blink.

Marlo blinked; he had been tired lately, but he was not sure why. He trotted up towards Silverside. "Yes?"

"He turned into stone to. What is up with you guys lately? Or what have you been eating?" Maya said as she curiously looked at Marlo's tired face.

Marlo shrugged.

Maya rolled her eyes.

"What?" Marlo barked. "It happens."

"I know...sometimes it gets awkward...your eyes don't blink and they get all..." Maya stopped.

Marlo laughed. "I don't know why it happens. I just get a deep thought and stare into space."

Maya nodded, agreeing with him. "I did that a lot when I was a pup Gnaw Wolf. I'd be gnawing and then suddenly doze off and have some weird things carved in the bone"

Marlo whimpered. "I'm a Watch Wolf and I don't even know how to gnaw well. My mum taught me a little, but I can't like you can."

"It's not really fun gnawing, I'm kinda glad you never had to do it though so..." Maya smiled. "If you did learn how to be a gnaw wolf, you wouldn't have been here now would you?

"I might have won the Gaddergnaw." he said.

Maya grinned at Marlo. "I know that," she said. "But the alternative, if you had become a gnaw wolf, you probably wouldn't be here. And you aren't exactly a gnaw wolf since your father just never made you one."

"But only gnaw wolves can become Watch Wolves. I guess I became a gnaw wolf just to come into the Gaddergnaw."

Maya's head ached from trying to figure this out. "GAH! IT'S SO HARD TO GET THINGS THROUGH YOUR HEAD! YOU ARE VERY HARD HEADED!"

Marlo laughed. "Thank you?"

"YOU ARE WELCOME!" Maya said, and she shook her head.

"Soo..." Marlo said. "How was your watch?"

"Very strange. Considering that Jay had bugged the heck out of me before he went strange and ran into the forest after saying something about snake," said Maya without stopping.

"You have heck?" Marlo joked. "And he was so annoying it came out of you? Weird."

Maya groaned and passed out only thinking: Idiot!

"Maya?" Marlo gasped, running up to her.

"The only way to wake me is to get some sense into that head of yours," Maya said in a ghostly tone.

"Maya is smart," Marlo said. "Is that sense enough to you?"

Maya hopped back up and smirked. "Of course I am, it's enough sense to me to know that you know me more."

Marlo laughed. "Well, what do you say about me?"

"You're the best numbskulled funny wolf I've ever met," spoke up Maya, not looking directly at Marlo.

"Why, thank you!"

"Still welcome," Maya sighed. "Although I wish you knew how to understand what I say better"

"What do I not understand about it?"

"When I was talking about Jay annoying the heck out of me. Should I have said scat?"

"That would have been weird."

"Yeah. For example 'JAY ANNOYED THE SCAT OUT OF ME!'"

Marlo cringed. "Ew,"

Maya burst with laughter.

But suddenly Jay appeared with Audren at his side!

Marlo jumped with surprise and took a step forward. "What are you doing here?"

Jay looked at Audren with a smile. "Getting ready for the second half of our plan" Audren said, Jay getting in front of Marlo's way with teeth bared.

This is not going to be good, Marlo thought. "What do you want?" Marlo barked.

"Why would I tell you, puny brown wolf?" growled Jay, he backed Marlo up again.

Audren, on the other hand, had already pounced at Maya, but Audren ended up biting the dust and face-slamming herself into the ground.

Marlo jumped forward, clawing Jay and knocking his head down to the ground. He then jumped in front of Maya, backing up to keep her away.

"AROOOO!" Jay howled with pain, but he got back up. Audren shook her head and snorted, then had joined back with Jay and crowded both Marlo and Maya. Snake had then walked up, mouth foaming with his chance to finally kill off Maya and her friends.

Marlo barked, shoving Jay back. He threw his head back, howling with fear and hope. Some more Watch Wolves trotted towards them, wondering what was going on.

"You... I remember you," Silverside growled. "You were one of the wolves that attacked my second milk giver," Silverside dropped down into a fighting pose, waiting for a response from Jay. "This is what I feared, Marlo," he said, looking the way of the brown wolf.

"Then we have something in common," Marlo answered in a little growl. "Jay, what is it you have against us?"

Jay snarled. He didn't know that Silverside would be here. "YOUR MILKGIVER WAS ASKING FOR IT!" He snarled, Jay snapped his jaws around Silverside's neck. Audren then barked at Marlo and Maya

Marlo clawed at Audren's face, jumping away from her before she could fight back. He tried to get to Silverside before Jay did.

Silverside wasn't the best fighter but he bucked Jay off and launched himself at Jay again.

Marlo, once Silverside had knocked Jay down, pinned him again. "Don't you dare try and hurt my friends!" Marlo yelled. He grabbed Jay's head in his paws and bashed it against the ground, trying to knock him out.

Jay had jumped out of the way though. Audren and Jay both attacked Silverside at the same time. Maya whined.

Marlo jumped onto Jay, pushing him down. He knocked at Audren, but she did not appear to be injured. The other Watch Wolves were rushing in, fighting as well.

This cannot be good, Silverside thought to himself so he ran to try and gain some ground.

Marlo ran towards Snake, ready for a fight.

Audren had managed to escape the crowding Watch Wolves, they were attacking Jay. Audren whimpered but became brave when she saw Maya was unguarded as Marlo attacked Jay. She's dead... she thought, Snake ran Maya towards a dead end and Audren and her master cornered her.

Silverside launched himself at Audren before Maya could get hurt

Marlo clawed at Jay, looking around. He could see Silverside, but not Shadow or Maya. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Maya being cornered.

Snake came closer to Maya, her tail tucked beneath her and she whimpered, Snake then launched at Maya and with that, bit her.


	15. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything you can recognize from any book EVER. If you recongnize anything from any movie or book—anything, it isn't mine.**

Chapter 14

Marlo galloped without stopping until he came to Snake. With all of his might, he knocked him over, biting at him furiously.

Snake's old legs crashed down and he fell. He snickered as Maya whined with terrible agony. Audren was about to gang up on Marlo, knocking him off Snake and then fleeing with Snake, an injured Jay following.

Marlo let them leave, for Watch Wolves were chasing them. He turned and fell down beside Maya, looking over her wound. "Maya?" he asked.

Silverside bit at Audren several times reaching for her Jugular vein but failed each time.

"That...hurt..." winced Maya, she could barely move her right leg. It hurt because that was where the venomous Snake had bit her.

"Why were we burdened with them?" Silverside whined to Marlo keeping up with him.

Marlo called his taiga over. "We have to get her to a creek- NOW." Marlo and his taiga grabbed Maya, pulled her up, and tried carrying her on both of their backs. It was a long time before they reached a stream.

"Maya?" Marlo asked. "You still awake?" he began to drench her leg in water.

Maya groaned. She felt sickly. What was wrong with her? "Kind...of..."

Marlo scrubbed at her leg with his paw. "Does this hurt?" he asked frantically.

It was numb. She couldn't feel as he washed it. The poison was taking its course quickly. But there was still hope.

Marlo scrubbed harder, trying to somehow push the poison out of her.

"There is another way than just scrubbing, Marlo" said Kalamar, he came by his side. "A type of plant we need."

Silverside went to his den at the Ring extremely tired and hurting from Jay biting him, he went to the pelt and lied down.

"Right!" Marlo nodded. "My mum told me a kind of plant to use to keep infections out."

"Yes. It's the Luna Flower. It's somewhere on a hill from legend...Sark may have the answer."

Marlo groaned. "Well," Marlo licked Maya's cheek. "You stay with Maya, I'll get the plant."

"Roger," said Kalamar. "But be careful!"

"I will!" Marlo called as he raced away as fast as his paws could take him. He would do anything to keep Maya safe- he had to keep her alive.

Kalamar looked down at Maya. Some Watch Wolves were behind him just in case anything happenws. Maya groaned. Her mind was already getting foggy.

Marlo knew she was probably in pain. It made him sick to think of her in trouble, but he could see the Sark's cave drawing closer.

That young boy better hurry! thought Kalamar. He could tell Maya was in the midst of turning, but she was resisting it.

Marlo came to a screeching stop inside of the Sark's cave, startling her. "What is it?" she asked.

"I need the Luna Flower- or whatever it is called- and I need it now!" Marlo barked.

The Sark bounded off in search for it, but it took her a few minutes before returning. "I found this a few months back, but it has not withered," she said, nudging the pure white flower towards him. "I wondered what it was, but I heard something about a Luna Flower and thought that was it." Marlo picked it up.

"Thank you," he muttered, running out with a firm grip on it towards Maya.

"GAH! She's waking up!" shrieked Kalamar, he and the Watch Wolves toke off, Maya stumbled to her paws, snorting. Crazed mind. But still hope...still resisting.

Marlo was hardly half way there- he hoped she was alright... that she wasn't insane. The flower was almost breaking in the wind.

Maya stumbled, trying to walk. Snarled, and stumbled back up. She grunted, angered, but the scent of somebody...Marlo.

Marlo stopped on a hill, panting. He could see the stream a mile away- he could maybe make it in time to save her.

The halfway crazed Maya followed the scent, and she saw the hill and a figure. Her vision was slightly blurred. A strike of pain shot through her head. What's wrong with you? Get back from Marlo!

"Maya!" Marlo yelled, muffled by the flower in his mouth.

Maya growled, but backed away. Maya's mind was doing whatever it wanted to. She could barely control what she was doing. But the poison still hadn't gotten into her saliva.

Marlo set the flower down. "Is she dangerous?" he asked.

She could still bite, but she wasn't dangerous yet. Not yet. But she would in a matter of time. But this was all planned out by the Master, Snake. He knew that Marlo would run to get the flowers, so Audren came back. No Jay, just her. And Audren jumped in front of Marlo. "You'll never cure her. She'll die"

Marlo was breaking into tears. "What makes you hate her?" he yelled. "There can be no reason! How can you hate someone who is so close to being perfect? Did you ever think of what would happen if you stopped hating her and hurting her and loved her instead? You would feel so peaceful!" He barked. "I now beg you- leave us alone and let me save her before you have gone so far as to end a precious life!"

Audren snickered. "Oh that's a very beautiful speech, but save it for Jay. He's the kind hearted." said Audren, she snarled. "You MacDuncan killed my own family, and I hate love. I can tell between you and her...you are close friends...and I don't like that!"

"If anyone did something to your family, ever thought of forgiving?" Marlo asked, calming. "If your father did something to my family, would you like me to love you or kill you?"

Audren silenced. "I'd...want you to..." she was speechless. The plan was downhill now. Surprisingly, Maya could keep her conscious.

"You'd want me to what?" Marlo barked. "If we did anything to your family, we're more sorry than you know! Don't you see?! If you'd forgive, everything can be well again."

Audren glanced back at Maya. Then at Marlo. Audren turned and then made a mistake - she attacked Maya with a bite and moved swiftly back into the forest, tears leaking down her muzzle. She had to do her job.

Marlo jumped onto Maya, and with the help of her taiga, they began to tend to her wound. He knew Audren had felt something.

Maya collapsed. She felt better, but she had no clue what happened afterwards. "Why do I feel like somebody threw a brick at me?" she said.

"You'll be okay, Maya," Marlo whispered, nuzzling her. "Get to sleep... I'll explain later."

"Oh...okay," Maya closed her eyes. She literally did that right after Marlo said that.

Later...

"And so that's what happened?" questioned Maya. It almost seemed unrealistic. She thought there had been no cure. Maybe they can cure Shadow now!

Marlo nodded. "Yes," he said. "I was so afraid Audren would have you killed," he paused. "You think we could heal Shadow with this?"

Maya nodded. But then she suddenly frowned. "But Shadow had it ever since he was a pup," said Maya "and you gave it to me when I was only in the midst..."

Marlo nodded, now upset. "I suppose it is impossible to heal him with the flower; it has already infected his bites."

Silverside woke with a start. He had had a nightmare, a strange one he thought it was the future because it looked very real (a vision into Faolan's time during Spirit Wolf) it looked like the whole Ring just fell on itself, and several malcadhs were fixed even Silverside himself was mended losing his second tail as if it had been bitten off. He looked at his rump and saw both tails and he sighed audibly when he saw them.

Maya let a sad sigh.

Marlo began to groom himself, and then looked to Maya. "You hungry?" he asked.

"No. Not really" Maya said, having being sick earlier had ruined her appetite.

"I'll get something for Silverside, then," Marlo said, standing. He was hesitant, but finally decided to step up close to Maya and lick her muzzle before leaving in search of food.

Maya froze. Her face heated up. "M-..." Maya blinked.

He looked back at her with a little smile before trotting away


	16. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything you can recognize from any book EVER. If you recongnize anything from any movie or book—anything, it isn't mine.**

Chapter 15

"You scat! You were suppose to stop him!" snarled Snake. Audren looked down, ashamed.

Jay looked disappointed. "Audren, why didn't you?" He barked. He was stressed after almost being beaten up by Silverside.

"I don't know, ok?" she yelped with anger.

Jay stomped off angrily.

"Wait no Jay! I-" Audren's heart felt broken. Snake snarled at her.

"The next time you do not kill her I will tear you limb from limb, you got that?" snarled Snake, Audren backed away and nodded harshly.

Jay stopped in his walking, looking back. He had a thought for half of a second: I am with Snake, and so is Audren... but he is willing to kill us. Why am I doing this? He shook it off, walking on.

Audren slowly walked away from Snake and followed Jay, but Snake sat alone in the dark, his eyes glowing. My sister...she'll die...just like our parents did...the rabies...

Marlo returned with happier spirits, stopping by Silverside to give him some food, and then trotting back in towards Maya. He saw down beside her and ate what he had brought, remembering to save some just in case she changed her mind.

Dusk fell over the Outermost…

"JAY! Audren! Join me. I need to tell you something" said Snake in his raspy voice.

Jay trotted towards him, tired, but ready to hear what his master had to say. "What is it?" Jay asked, sitting in front of him.

Audren sat by Jay. "I have a secret that I've hidden from you. And I really have to get it out. Maya and her friends are the main targets because...Maya is...my sister. When I was little, I was taken away and put with another family since she was Malcadh. And after that, I wondered out and became infected by Old Cags." he explained.

Jay looked surprise. "Wow," he whispered.

Snake let a sigh. "But I don't want her to live on this planet...it's rough..." he growled. "It's an act of kindness a big brother will have to commit."

Jay nodded with agreement. "How will we do it?"

"They found the cure to the rabies disease...so all we have to do is use blackmail against them, with a life. Maya's friends. If she doesn't commit, her friends die." he explained. Audren felt her heart sink.

"When shall we get to it?" Jay asked.

"Yes. Off." he said, Audren nuzzled close to Jay. Then, they were sent off.

"Where shall we go first?" Jay asked her. "Would it be right to go to the Watch again?"

"We'd have to wait a bit. I know that night would be the best ambush but...it'd be better if we waited." Audren mumbled to him, glad to be away from Snake.

Jay stopped. "Then let's stop here," he said.

Audren nodded with agreement. For now, they had to rest. It'd be long and hard to do it after already suffering several wounds.

Marlo looked up as dawn filled the sky. He stood, stretched, and walked across the den to Maya. "Morning," he whispered by her ear.

Maya opened one eye. "Morning Mar" she yawned as she got up and stretched also.

"You want me to go and get you something to eat?" Marlo asked.

"Can I join you? I feel kind've rusty from standing at the Watch yesterday and all that..." Maya said groggily.

Marlo looked worried. "Maya," he said. "I don't know if that's a good idea. You're pretty wounded."

"Ah, Marlo. Thanks for worrying, but I think I'm fine" she said, she gave him a smile, hoping that he'd feel a bit happier.

"Alright," he muttered, leading her out at a slow pace to keep her comfortable.

Maya breathed in the fresh air. She always loved the morning breeze, the tasteful aromas...

"What do you watch to catch? I think caribou is too dangerous." his ears pricked up. "I think I hear snow hares."

"How'd you know that I was thinking about that?" Maya asked Marlo.

Marlo shot her a glance. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"Nothing" Maya said, she tilted her head. Then she saw something white move.

Marlo quickened his pace into a quick gallop in pursuit of the snow hares, Maya on his heels.

Maya fell back. Her leg still ached a bit, but it was better to move it.

Marlo slowed a little until he reached closer to the hare. Then he leaped forward and bit down on it, waiting for Maya to catch up to kill it herself.

When Maya caught up, she gave it a bite, killing it quickly. She did that weird ritual thingy where the wolves looked into the eyes and they were done.

Audren watched them. In bound, but didn't attack. Jay wasn't with her, so all she did was analyze the techniques they used to hunt and they could use it against them. "Hummm...Maya has the wound...making her easier. Marlo is a male that Jay could easily take out. Pretty much a fair fight." she mumbled on to herself.

Marlo separated the best parts out and nudged them for Maya; he hoped she would become fully healthy soon.

Maya ate some of the hare, but then stopped. She felt watched.

Audren smiled. It was her chance. But...she wanted Jay to attack first. To take Marlo away from Maya and do the threatening.

"Audren?" Jay whispered. "Where did you go?" He came up beside her, catching sight of the two wolves.

"I was analyzing their moves so we can use them against them. Fighting fire with fire" she explained.

Maya's ear twitched. Muttering. "Marlo..." she whispered.

Marlo looked up. "Yeah?" he asked in a low voice.

"I feel like...we're being watched. I don't know if..." Maya paused with hesitation. She didn't want Marlo getting worried again. "I heard caribou or not," she lied, nervously.

Audren knew that Maya could sense her and Jay's presence.

"She's noticing us," Jay whispered. "I mean, she's acting strange. Should we go now?"

"Yes...Three two...ONE!" screamed Audren, she jumped out and charged at Maya.

Maya yelped but wasn't quick enough, getting nailed with Audren's fangs right in her weak leg.

Marlo barked with surprise and sank his teeth into Audren's back, trying to push her off of Maya. As he was, Jay bit down on Marlo's leg, jerking him off of Audren.

"Thanks," mumbled Audren, she grinned, but she really didn't mean anything. Deep within, she realized that this was terrible. Watching both the injured wolves scurry to save each other.

Silverside slumped down when he heard an owl. Why do I have these strange dreams? he thought to himself. Silverside whimpered due to being tired and stiff and streched and smelled snow hare in front of him. "Maya? Marlo?" he called out after eating the hare in front of him and emerged from the den he was in, and saw Marlo.

"Silverside!" Marlo gasped, trying to nudge Maya safely away from Audren and Jay who were chasing after them. "Thank goodness you're here! We could use some help. But right now we have to run."

"I'M SURPRISED THAT WE COULD EVEN HOLD UP..." Maya shouted.

Jay jumped onto Marlo, tackling him down the hill.

"MARLO!" she yelped, Audren growled behind her.

"He will die. If you don't let us kill you..." she snarled.

Marlo yelped as Jay pushed him down, trying to aim correctly for a bite to a throat. "Maya!" he yelled, knowing he could be dead at any moment. "Don't be afraid to fight! Don't be afraid to-" He ended with a cry as Jay fought to his neck.


	17. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything you can recognize from any book EVER. If you recongnize anything from any movie or book—anything, it isn't mine.**

Chapter 16

Maya jumped at Audren, angered by Jay and her, snarling rage. White, no life in her eyes, but she missed Audren and only fell. Her leg giving out. Audren howled to Jay to stop attacking Marlo until Maya's made her choice.

Marlo stopped eyes wide, looking back at Maya. Jay stood over him, precluding escape.

"Do you want to have all your friends dead? Or will you come with us to seek your death?" asked Audren. Maya stayed silenced. But then, she seemed to stutter out "I'd rather die for my friends". Audren smiled and howled to Jay to leave Marlo alone.

Marlo shoved Jay off of him, legs shaking. "Maya, you know I won't allow that," he growled. "I won't live without you... I can't imagine living without you." he whimpered. "Audren and Jay- enough with this madness! Do you two want to die? No, and neither does Maya! Imagine her stress- her fear. For goodness sake... if you do this, I'll never see her again. I guess that doesn't make much sense, because you don't know Maya like I do. But..." he gulped, continuing. "I will never let you take her life, because she is what I love most in this world."

Maya couldn't believe her ears. Did Marlo just try to...stop them? He loves her? Maya blushed. "ENOUGH!" barked Audren. "I was wrong Jay, you might as well just kill him off." she grumbled, but Maya refused with this and managed to tackle Audren with a bite to her throat. A scream of agony and Audren struggled, Maya got off Audren and thought of something. "You guys either leave us alone or I will take the final blow at Audren and it will be the end of her life," she growled.

Marlo's eyes widened. He knew Audren was evil, but he couldn't let Maya kill her. Maybe she was bluffing? Jay looked convinced. "Okay, we'll stop!" he said, knowing he could probably strike back and attack at any moment. "Just let her go."

"Okay," Maya said backing away from the weak she-wolf. Audren weakly got up and slowly got away. I really hope Marlo didn't take that seriously...I'd only kill if I needed to Maya thought. Even though she really did hate Audren and Jay, she'd never do something so rash.

Audren yelped and nuzzled Jay, telling him they had to go. But she could sense he didn't want to.

Jay stood watching both Watch Wolves as they huddled together, and the two stared at one another for a short time. All Jay could think about was how to attack them.

Maya shuddered as a breeze of cold hit her.

Marlo slowly stepped in front of Maya, walking away with her. He continually eyed Jay and Audren, hoping they would not strike again.

"I don't know what they're planning on completing, but it isn't good."

Marlo continued to nudge her, quickening his pace away further.

Audren howled a signal. Everything went silent until a snarling cougar with its pack jumped out, claws retracted.

Marlo yipped with surprise, barking as he nudged Maya forward. "We can outrun them!" he encouraged. "Run, Run!"

Maya ran, even though her leg cramped, she did as Marlo said. "I'm sure that we can do birdie on them, can't we?" Maya asked as the wind roared, as the two sliced through the wind.

"Do what?" Marlo asked, almost unable to hear her.

"We trick them. And make them collide while they are following us," said Maya loud only for Marlo to hear.

"Oh," Marlo answered. "I have no idea how that works."

Maya grumbled something under her breath. "Brains and airheads make the perfect couple" she mumbled. "Forget the plan...let's just run to the MacDuncan."

"Good idea!" Marlo agreed. "Where in the Beyond are we?"

Maya stopped. Conveniently, the cougars had stopped chasing them and lost interest. She looked around, she was obviously as clueless as Marlo was, so she just said. "Uh...we're in the Beyond?"

Marlo sighed. "Let's keep heading north east," he suggested. "That'll take us either to the Ring or to the MacDuncan territory."

There was a rustle of leaves next to the trio of wolves and out emerged a familiar face.

"HI!" Marlo yipped.

"My friends! My dear friends what happened?!" Shadow exclaimed in shock. He took a step forward but then he suddenly stopped, fur standing on end. "Who was bitten? I can smell it on one of you."

"Maya was bitten," Marlo explained. "We had to cure her with a flower, and then were attacked a few times by Jay and Audren. How have you been?"

He was absolutely flabbergasted at that question. The way Marlo spoke though made Shadow think Marlo was mad at him. "Well- I've been looking for you guys. I lost you at the ring and went looking for you."

"Oh," Marlo nodded. "Sorry we disappeared. Let's get back to the Ring now; I think we're still being chased by Jay and Audren."

"Did you say a flower a moment ago?" Shadow asked.

"Yup!" Maya said loudly, almost like a shout. She was cheerful to finally see Shadow...she had wondered where he had been for the past hours.

Marlo nuzzled Maya. He had grown even more affectionate for her now.

Maya looked at Marlo for a quick second, then just dozed. Had he really meant what he said back there in the battle? "Maybe, Shadow, if somebody found the cure for you...you wouldn't had to have had the disease," Maya mumbled.

Shadow cocked his head. Not about the cure, but because how close Marlo and Maya looked since he had disappeared.

"What's wrong?" Marlo asked quiet suddenly. "Is that a bad idea? Maybe we shouldn't have brought it up."

"No, no, it's just... You two look great together," Shadow said in a teasing voice.

Marlo gave a nervous laugh. "Thank you...?" he asked slowly. "Listen, I think we're all tired and hungry (well, Maya and I recently ate), so I suggest heading back to the Ring and getting the Fengo to banish Jay. Sound good?"

"Is that who did this to you? But he was healthy last time I saw him." Shadow said.

"Jay will be coming back to the Ring soon," Marlo stated. "He has to sometime. By then we should have a few wolves ready to arrest him, and then Fengo will banish him."

"But who bit Maya?" Shadow asked.

"Snake infected her with the foaming mouth disease," said Marlo. "And then Audren bit her again after that."

A shudder passed over Shadow and he couldn't help but run a paw over his face, remembering the obvious scars.

"You okay?" Marlo asked.

"Sorry for saying anything about that Shadow..." Maya said glumly.

Marlo, without another world, turned towards the Ring. Maya's ear twitched, she looked at Marlo. "Leaving so soon after just meeting a friend?" Maya exclaimed curiously.

"Who? Shadow? I thought he was coming with us."

Maya sighed. "Okay, Airhead, let's go," she barked.

"What are you mad about, Maya?" Shadow asked, noticing a slight hint of anger in her voice.

"Sometimes it's hard to tell," Marlo answered him.

"Obviously something made her mad," replied Shadow.

"Maybe it was me."

"I don't know. This is between you two lovebirds." Shadow said.

"Not lovebirds!" Maya shouted at Shadow, blushing. "And I wasn't mad...it's just his new nickname."

Marlo nudged Maya. "Come on; it's dangerous out here. Can we please go home now?"

"Fine, fine, Airhead; let's get the show on the road..." she mumbled, rolling her eyes.

Marlo nodded, tossing his paws into a trot in the direction of the Ring. Maya followed behind Marlo. "Have you ever spaced out for a long time before?" she asked Marlo randomly.

"Have I ever what?" Marlo asked.

"Nothing. Daydreamed then? If you don't doze, you must be a dozeo."

"I daydream all of the time," stated Marlo. "I feel too lucky. I have the best friends, I'm a Wolf of the Watch, and though we have enemies, we've lasted this long."

"Whatever goes around comes around. You're nice, so you get nice things. Such as luck." Maya said, she didn't know if that'd confuse Marlo though.

"I don't actually believe in luck, though," he answered.

Maya gasped, faking surprise. "You don't?" she said.

"No, of course not."

Maya shrugged. "Then what do you call it?" she asked to his reply.

"I don't know. Luck is like chance. I don't believe thing are chance. I think they are meant to be." Maya almost went cross-eyed. He said something that confused her, but also he spoke wisely!

"What did you just do to your eyes?"

"Nothing," Maya said as she looked normal again. Marlo laughed a little, quickening his pace.

"So...you think that the Watch wolves would be mad at us?" she asked Marlo.

"Maybe for a bit, but we had a good reason to be gone."

Maya put her head down suddenly and frowned. "To run away and leave the Watch unprotected?" she grumbled.

"You had been infected with a fatal disease and were going to die, and then we had to fight off two enemies."

"Oh yeah..." Maya only said this, and that was it until they arrived at the Watch.

Marlo nuzzled Maya. "I should get to my Watch," he said. He licked her muzzle before trotting off towards his cairn.

"Okay. Bye then I guess" said Maya.


	18. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything you can recognize from any book EVER. If you recongnize anything from any movie or book—anything, it isn't mine.**

Chapter 17

Snake growled at Audren. "You both are—" he cut himself off with a snarl of anger.

Jay hung his head. "Sorry," he whispered.

Snake glared. "Sorry? _Sorry_? You lost our kills! This was both of your last chances!" he growled out of rage, Audren nuzzled Jay. She was scared.

Jay stood in front of Audren, raising his voice. "We'll have another, chance, Snake! Trust me, I will rip them apart! We'll do what we can!"

Snake eyed Jay. Then he switched a glance at Audren. "Audren, you go. Jay, you stay," he ordered. Audren straightened.

"Why must I stay?" Jay barked. "I am the stronger!"

Snake snarled, "But she is most convincing and innocent then a large Dire Wolf like you!"

"She may be more 'innocent,' but everyone already knows we are trying to kill them," answered Jay.

"You don't get it, she can convince the fools. I know the heart of the one they call Marlo. He is forgiving, and I have a plan that will get her closer to the wolves"

"Well," Jay looked interested. "What's your plan?"

Snake explained it to the two wolves. After Snake had finished, Jay frowned. "Fine," he mumbled. "Audren can go alone."

"But can we wait until we heal? I'm achy and we need them to forget," Audren groaned.

"True," Jay said. "Hey! What if we came to them and said we were forced to do what we did, because someone had our pups at stake? I know we don't have pups, but they'd believe us. We could ask for their help, and then kill them. Or do you want to do the first plan before that?"

"I agree with that one," Audren nodded.

"Can I come?" Jay asked.

Snake's eye twitched. "…Yes…" he moaned.

"Good," Jay growled, turning towards Audren. "Let's go."

"Okay," she had only uttered shallowly.

Shadow watched where his friends had left. It was as if it were natural how he disappeared while they talked. Almost as if it were his power. "Not lovebirds—please! I'll make sure to bring it up when you have pups." Shadow mumbled to himself.

"Do what?" Marlo asked, turning around. He did not hear what Shadow had said, but did know by the faint tone of his voice that he was talking to himself, about them.

"Nothing." Shadow said quickly, trying to hide his embarrassment.

"Lie," Maya snapped to Shadow's embarrassment.

"It was nothing." Shadow tried to slip out of this slippery spot.

Maya grinned at him. "Now I know you are covering up what you said," she had exclaimed.

"What did you say?" Shadow suddenly snapped at Marlo. Jumping he pounced on him in sheer anger.

Hey! Back off Shadow!" Maya barked out of surprise. Why had Shadow done this? "Get off of him!" snarled Maya, she tried to plead.

"Comments like that get you killed!" Shadow snarled before jumping off and slinking away into the woods.

Maya was surprised by Shadow's actions. What was wrong with him? Why was he angry? When had he started to act like this? Where was he going?

Marlo whimpered. "Sorry if I said something wrong," he whispered. "I didn't mean to anger you."

Maya went to Marlo's side and nuzzled him. "It's fine, Marlo. I'm sure he probably just took it in the wrong definition," she whispered to the brunette wolf.

Marlo wondered if Maya was treating him different, maybe because now she knew that he loved her. "I just hope I can help him when he's mad," whispered Marlo.

"It's fine. Just let him cool off...that may work" Maya replied.

Audren walked silently by Jay's side. A cool breeze hit them both.

"Do you have any idea how close we are to the Ring?" Jay asked.

Audren shook her head. "I know we're barely close," replied Audren coldly. But then she suddenly remembered how the two wolves had outran their cougar allies. "Don't you remember the cougars? They lost interest too soon. It should be punishment for them."

"Well what can we do to them?"

Audren sighed. "We'll have to tell Snake about it. We can't take on twelve cougars! We'd be insane..." she said to Jay. She looked at her surroundings. A minute of silence passed and she broke it again with saying, "It's close to Winter".

Jay growled. "Let's keep going to the Watch and try to find those cougars later. Why doesn't Snake try to deal with this himself?"

"I don't know."

Jay stomped onward, hardly acknowledging his mate.

Audren could see the Watch ahead of them. She sighed.

"Should we sneak in?" Jay suggested.

"Yes. If we get caught too fast, they'll kill us," she told Jay.

"Let's go around the east side," Jay suggested.

She agreed and followed closely behind Jay; she started to think out what she would do. "I think I see one of them on their cairns," said Jay, stopping to look.

"Which one is it? Maya, Marlo, or Shadow?" asked Audren sharply.

"I can't tell! Their fur is too dark!" he paused. "Wait... I think it's either Maya or Marlo."

Audren sniffed the air. It was male, so she guessed it was Marlo. "Jay, we've got to ambush him. But his friend has to be around here somewhere..." whispered Audren.

"Alright," Jay agreed. "Let's go in around the east side, find a way in, and just jump up on his cairn."

"Okay. I do that acting first, then you pretend to be injured and plead," she muttered to Jay as they started sneaking.

"I thought you were the more convincing and innocent," Jay muttered. He stayed behind her until they were in the Ring, and there he turned to Audren. "Should I say that our pups were taken captive or that I'm injured?"

"You say that you were injured protecting the pups and I'll say that we have just lost our pups," she explained—the plan should play out as they want it to.

Jay nodded, and then jumped up. "Marlo!" he sobbed. "I—I need your help!"

"What?" Marlo growled angrily.

"Audren and I need your help! We were attacked—I promise—and our pups where taken! We need your help!"

Audren slightly perked up angered, but remembered she had to do her part. "Please Marlo...you have to help us!" whined Audren, faking tears.

"I don't know..." Marlo mumbled suspiciously. "Who took them?"

Audren gulped silently. "S-Snake...he-he betrayed us and killed our family!" sobbed Audren.

"We were wrong," Jay said. He felt ridiculous. "Please help us! No one else will trust us!"

Maya yawned as she walked into the carin without seeing Jay or Audren there. "Hey Marlo? Why do I hear—" her voice dropped and her eyes widened at the sight. "What the—!"

"We need help!" Jay pleaded.

Maya gave a confused look, but then burst with laughter and was on her back. "Wow! The enemies come to us for help?"

Marlo frowned. "Well, if they need help..."

Maya stopped laughing and sat up, frowning. "Okay, okay..." she mumbled like a spoiled pup.

"What do you need help with?" Marlo barked. "If this is a trick, you will be in big trouble, trust me."

"Getting our poor puppies back...we miss Jimmy and uh...Games!" Audren stuttered.

Marlo and Maya exchanged glances. "Huh?" he asked. "Well, where are they?"

Audren winced. "They are uh..." she stopped.

Marlo waited. "They are where? Do you know where they went?"

"The pit!" whined Audren, smirking to herself mentally.

"We're afraid for them," Jay whimpered.

Audren nodded, but Maya scowled. "But you know the legend! Old Cags is down there!" she snarled at Audren, the silver she-wolf toke a step back and nuzzled Jay, acting terrified of Maya.

"Yes, we know the legend! And our pups will end up like Snake if you don't do anything about it!" he gave Audren a look that let her know they needed to attack soon.

"Okay!" growled Maya suspiciously. Audren glanced at Jay as if to reply to Jay's look in her mind.

"Well, when do you want to look for them?" Marlo asked.

"Now, of course you bumbling idiot!" shouted Audren angrily. Maya snarled at Audren.

Marlo barked to quiet him. "You first," he said, gesturing to the trail down the cairn.

Audren put her tail between her legs and snuffed, then followed Jay. She growled to herself. No sneak attack now...

Jay had an idea: they should attack once they were out of sight of the Ring. He quickened his pace as if he were afraid towards the Pit.

Nearing the edge of the Ring, Audren looked back at Maya. She had felt her eyes boring into the back of her head as they walked. Maya faked a smile and when Audren turned around, she scowled and looked at Marlo. "I have a bad feeling about this..." she muttered to him.

"Wait," Marlo said aloud. "Audren, Jay, you wait here. Maya, we should go tell a few Watch Wolves to keep an eye out for Snake. He could be coming here now that Jay and Audren have come for our help." He shot Maya a secret wink.

Maya looked confusedly at Marlo. "Uh… y-y-yea! We gotta go tell em' so uh...wait here ladies!" she quickly said.

Marlo rushed back in. "Hey," he said to a _taiga_. "Audren and Jay are out there, and they might be tricking us. If anything goes wrong, we will howl, and you'd better get over there quick. And uh... keep and eye out for Snake, because we told them that's what we'd tell you."

"Uh... okay," the taiga answered.

Maya followed Marlo back and an agitated Audren growled at them. "We have to go before they die or are moonblinked!" she shouted.

"You're right!" Marlo barked. "Let's go!" he dashed off towards the Pit, the others on his heels.

Maya used her awesome female sprints and got ahead of Marlo. She remembered they had to head towards the east of the MacHeath and there would be a deep canyon there covered up by some rocks. It took many hours, but at last they came to a stop at the edge of the Pit.

"Okay..." heaved Maya, "We're here..." she said. Suddenly, she felt a pain and then realized she was falling.

"Maya?" Marlo barked.

"I hate you, Audren!" the canyon echoed from the bottom. Her voice had gotten fainter as it traveled up.

Marlo turned towards the other two wolves. "You tricked us again!" he barked. He threw back his head into a howl. During it, Jay shoved him into the Pit with Maya.


	19. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything you can recognize from any book EVER. If you recongnize anything from any movie or book—anything, it isn't mine.**

Chapter 18

Maya felt something hard land on her and she yelped. Marlo. "Ow! Couldn't you be like one of those gliding squirrels and save yourself?" she growled

"Too bad I don't have wings," Marlo growled. "The Watch Wolves should be here in the next few hours. We just have to avoid Old Cags."

Then, just as Marlo said that, an odd laugh gripped Maya with fear. There was a snort and then growl—there they realized Old Cags was standing right before them.

Marlo stared at Old Cags with shock. His glance caught on the dim walls around them. "There's a ledge above us big enough for a wolf," he whispered. "Jump onto it."

Maya had jumped, but only to slide and hit the floor. "Name! Name!" cried Old Cags.

"Go, try!" Marlo barked.

"I can't, Airhead!" shouted Maya as she tried again.

Old Cags smiled. "Airhead! Airhead! Come to me, bonehead!"

"Nice job," Marlo mumbled. "Back up; he's getting closer." he backed into the side of the wall. "Try to climb onto my back and jump from there."

Maya looked worriedly at him. "How will you be able to get up?" she whimpered.

"It's only big enough for one," Marlo said. "Hurry!"

Maya carefully climbed up on Marlo's back and jumped. She made it. But..."MARLO!" she cried as Old Cags jumped for an attack, foam dripping from his mouth.

Marlo dared to reach out and scratched Cags on the side, barking wildly. "Go, Maya! Hurry!"

Maya could not. Or at least, her body would not. It stood shocked: frozen in fear as Marlo called for her to run.

Marlo backed up, pushing Maya too. "Look," he said, nodding to another wall. "There's a ledge. We might be able to dig a whole in it. I'll distract, you dig."

"O-Okay!" she said. She had jumped gracefully to the ledge and then had started digging roughly.

"Cags!" Marlo yelled. "You want me?"

"Yes, yes, yes, yes, YES!" he hissed mindlessly.

"My name is..." Marlo said slowly. "My name is Old Cags! I am you. You're going to kill yourself." He didn't know what to say; he just wanted to confuse him.

Old Cags snuffled. He growled and then tried to think. Mind too foggy to, he snarled and growled. "No!"

"Yes, you are," Marlo said. "You are me, and I am you."

"You...Me...You…are me?" he grumbled confusedly.

"Exactly, Cags. The ground is sky and sky is ground. Or is sky sky and ground ground? Am I you?"

Old Cag's head was overwhelmed and he whimpered, falling to the ground and covering his eyes.

"Are you happy or angry or nothing?"

"It's nothing!" he shrieked.

"You look like you are happy," Marlo said, glancing back at Maya to see her progress.

Maya was already done and trying to signal to Marlo to 'lets go!'.

Marlo barked. "Cags, there's something behind you!" he yelled, running to Maya and jumping into the cave.

Cags turned around to see nothing, and then when he tried to see Marlo, he was gone. He threw back his head into a wild and ridiculous howl.

Marlo helped Maya in and shut the rock in front. They both finally hit fresh air and Maya was glad, but spooked after watching Marlo take on Cags.

"Is there a way out from here?" Marlo asked in a whisper.

"Uh...I don't know!" Maya whispered back.

Marlo squeezed between Maya and the rocky walls, standing ahead of her and sniffing around for the smell of fresher air. "I can't see any light," he said.

"Sometimes I'd think of you half-blind Marlo, we're wolves. We can see in the dark unlike some other creatures," said Maya grimly.

"I know that. I just can't see light," Marlo sniffed around some more, clawing at the wall. "Here, I can smell better air."

"Then dig, wolf! Dig!" Maya shouted like a Lord would to a gnaw wolf.

Marlo stuck his nose into the pile and scraped with both paws until a few beams of light split into the darkness. "There's a tunnel. I think we'll have to crawl through there, but I don't know how wide it is."

"Probably as wide as this cave system is."

Marlo poked his head into the dim tunnel. "No," he said, his voice echoing slightly. "Well, I don't know. It looks like it can barely fit one wolf in it." he turned back. "I'll go in, and you follow closely behind. It doesn't look like it is stable."

"Then shouldn't we just go try and find another one that is stable? Just a smart conclusion..." Maya mumbled silently to herself.

Marlo began to stuff himself in. "I'm going to try and see," He whispered, crawling in.

"_Vrychtong_. That'll make it easier Marlo" said Maya.

Marlo growled with anger and then crouched lower. _When did she learn any Old Wolf?_ He wondered. Her advice was good, though, for he managed to climb through into the fresh air. "Come on through, Maya. It's safe. You remember to _vrychtong_ too," he joked.

Maya rolled her eyes and she crouched very lowly as she had crawled her way out. Fresh air closer and closer! "I may have went to the Sark to learn some old language," she said as if she had read Marlo's mind.

"My mom taught me a lot," Marlo said, looking around outside. "I don't see Jay or Audren anymore."

"Probably ran off. They are a _slink melf_," replied Maya.

Marlo looked at Maya strangely. "I though _slink melf_ was a water formation that the Namaras did."

"No, it's a hunting group formed to hunt an animal that is a danger to the clan," explained Maya smartly. But then, she remembered how she had used it wrongly in the sentence.

Marlo nodded. "Well, it's both," he straightened up. "Now, Maya, don't go _cag mag_." he joked again.

Maya gasped as if insulted. "You call me _cag mag_? You are crait to me then" Maya huffed.

Marlo nuzzled her. "It's a joke, Maya," he said.

"Uh—I knew that!" she said, embarrassed.

"Let's get back to the Watch," he suggested.

"Unless it's been raided by big cats! Then we should run like it's the end of the world!" Maya said

"...Why would it be invaded by cats?"

"I have a broad imagination. I could even imagine the Two Legs suddenly appearing and dancing for the Star Ladder."

Marlo made a puzzled expression.

"Uh...I mean just dancing," Maya covered up.

Marlo quickened his pace to the Watch, laughing.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah... snicker, snicker," murmured Maya.

"No, yeah, yeah, yeah laugh-as-loud-as-I-can."

Maya laughed as loud as she could. "There!" she shouted.

Marlo paced beside Maya until they had reached the Watch, wondering where their two assassins were.

"Oh, the _vyrrwolves_ finally decided to return back to their home!" muttered Maya with a scowl.

"I wonder when they'll come back," Marlo mumbled, walking to his cairn.

"Well, I'd hope never!" complained the tired Maya.

"Well, so do I," Marlo yawned. "I going to see if the Fengo will let me get some sleep."

"Sleep with the Fengo? WHAT?!" Maya yawned, she was groggy and she wasn't paying attention.

"You have problems," Marlo barked. "He wants us to work. He's our boss. It's his call whether or not I get some sleep. I'm going to ask him if I can go to my den and go to sleep until he wants me to work again."

Maya frowned. "Pushy...Canker...livered..." grumbled Maya.

"Huh?" Marlo growled. He trotted out without her answer, returning. "He says we can get some rest." he said, trotting towards his den.

Maya still frowned at Marlo. She laid down and closed her eyes. Marlo finally drifted into a dreamless sleep.

_And you really like Marlo? Ha! Pathetic...he can get angry, mean even! He doesn't deserve you!_ A voice in her dream cackled. Maya closed her eyes tighter

Marlo continued sleeping peacefully.

Maya became restless after this. She opened her eyes and silently got up and went outside to look at the beautiful moon.

Marlo lifted his head from his paws, blinking. _Where is she going?_ He thought. _She might be having issues after that thing with Cags... I should let her alone._ He lay his head back down.

_Snake...why did he look so familiar? _Maya brooded. Her tail curled around her. She only let a heavy sigh and laid down outside, the moon shimmering in sparkles down her face.

_Maybe I should go and see her,_ Marlo thought. _She could be lonely_.

"Oh...tell me, why do they attack us?" she whispered.

Marlo's ears pricked up. He could hear what she said, but he did not know who she was talking to. _Stupid big ears! She doesn't want me listening, but I can hardly help it! _He wondered.

"Ahhoooooo garrooo.." grumbled Maya.

Marlo now lifted his head. _She must be very depressed... must have lost herself; her marrow._ He wondered if he should go to Maya or not. Maya stood up and yawned. She stretched and then went back inside the den. She still tried to avoid any contact with Marlo.

He lifted his head. "Are you okay, Maya?" he asked.

She merely nodded without looking at him and laid down, closing her eyes and slowly drifting off into slumber.


	20. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything you can recognize from any book EVER. If you recongnize anything from any movie or book—anything, it isn't mine.**

Chapter 19

When Marlo opened his eyes again light was pouring into the den. "Maya," he said. "It's morning!"

Maya didn't answer. She was still asleep. It was not like her.

Marlo, without standing, scooted towards her and set his muzzle beside hers. "Maya?" He asked with a puppy-like grin. She growled, scooting away from Marlo. He scooted close to her again. "Maya...?" he asked. "It's morning."

"Go away, Snake!" she snarled.

"Maya," Marlo nudged her with his paw. "It's me, Marlo."

She awoke and jumped up panicked. "What?" she asked him, she frowned at him as if not remembering anything.

"It's morning," Marlo said playfully again. "Time to wake up and get to Watch!"

"Oh yeah," she said. _Uh...why? Can't I just be a normal wolf instead of a Watch one?_ she thought to herself.

Marlo slipped out of the den and headed towards Watch._Hm...I can just run away..._thought Maya.

Marlo took his first jump, wondering about his friend Maya, Shadow, and Kia. He looked down from his cairn and caught sight of Maya. She snuck out of Marlo's den without knowing him looking at her. She had silently stalked herself away and away from the carin.

_Where is she going?_ Marlo thought as she started towards the edges of the Watch. _Is she... leaving?_ thought Marlo.

"I at least want to be free" Maya sighed to herself, trying to resist the urge to go back to the Watch.

_She's probably getting a drink or something, _Marlo decided, and began to jump again.

She left the Watch's ground and passed the pond. Into the Outermost she travelled.

Marlo waited. He sat down on his cairn after Maya had been gone ten minutes, but she still did not come back. He was getting worried.

Finally away, Maya was happy. She sat against a tree and rested.

_She isn't coming back, is she?_ Marlo wondered. He trotted down his cairn and out of the Ring in search for her.

"Hello? Who are you?" asked a friendly voice. A little pup appeared in front of Maya. It was the whitest colored wolf Maya had ever seen. "Who are you?" the little she-pup's voice echoed, terrified. Maya looked confusedly.

"Calm down!" she soothed, but the pup cocked her head.

"M...M...Mommy?" she murmured.

Marlo had Maya's scent, but it was heading towards... the Outermost?

Maya winced. What was this pup talking about? The pup's eyes watered. "Mommy!" she cried, nuzzling Maya. "Uh-uh..." Maya stuttered, she picked up Marlo's scent.

Marlo finally stumbled upon Maya. "Maya!" he said, seeing the pup. "What are you doing here— who is that pup?"

She shrugged. "Mommy, mommy!" the puppy said.

Marlo nuzzled Maya. "You okay?" he asked quietly.

"If you mean being nuzzled by you and a pup—not really! Personal space!" Maya whined.

Marlo sat down. "Maya, why did you run away?"

"Not the best time to talk about—" "Momma! Who dat?" the pup interrupted her.

Marlo was now angry. "What is going on?" he demanded. He did not mean to be rude, but he was in a temper when she had not come back.

Maya gave Marlo a glare—an anger that she had never showed towards Marlo was finally shown. "Just stop it!" she snarled.

Marlo's ears folded back and his eyes grew. "S-Stop what, Maya?" his voice became small.

The little pup huddled against Maya, terrified of Marlo. "Just stop it! Why are you so enraged?" she growled.

Marlo's ears erected again and he flew into his aggression. "You don't think I was worried for you? You left the Ring and didn't tell anyone!"

"Well I don't really need to tell you where I go everyday, okay? You can stop babying me!" she snarled angrily, stepping towards Marlo as if to attack.

"I haven't been babying you! I thought that maybe making sure you were alive would make you happy!" barked Marlo.

"Well do I look happy?!" she barked back.

"You honestly never look happy!" Marlo growled. "You complain and complain, and then throw fits all of the time. Don't you think I worry for you?"

Maya's heart sank. She felt her face flush red. "I-I can't believe I ever loved you!"

Marlo turned and stomped off through the trees back towards the Ring, fur standing on end.

The small little pup looked up at Maya. "Wh-Who was that?" she asked. Maya nuzzled the pup.

"Just a jerk...that's all..." growled Maya.

Marlo's ears flicked. "Jerk?" he muttered as he trotted away. "It takes one to know one." Then, out of the dark, Audren stepped out infront of Marlo.

"Hello," she grimaced with a smirk.

Marlo stopped. "What do you want?" he asked.

"She did wrong" said Audren. She sighed. "You aren't the only one who had a mate betray you like that..."

Marlo rolled his eyes. "Look, Maya is not my mate, and she never will be. Besides, I'm not going to fall for one of your tricks again."

Audren widened her eyes. "You think this is a trick? Oh darling, you _are_ angry," sighed Audren.

"I wasn't angry last time and I still suspected something," Marlo's tail flicked. "What do you want?"

"To cheer you up" she said.

Marlo gave a fake smirk. "And you've proved yourself _really_ good at that."

Audren scowled. "Well excuse me for trying to be a friend for once! You know, I really didn't want to follow his rules! I was forced to!"

"Why?"

Audren shook her head.

"Well? I'm close to not even listening to you."

"Snake wants to kill his sister! There." she snarled furiously.

Marlo's expression faded into surprise as he listened further.

_Where are they?_ wondered Snake.

Kia sneezed and shook her head, annoyed.

"No sneezing! Foul, foul..." growled Fire with a smile.

Kia bit back a laugh, but her eyes told it.

"Chieftain Anna, when can I kill this unpleasant she-wolf?" whined Fire, he was just daring to snag a tear into her flesh. The Chieftain shot him a glare and he sighed. He looked back at Kia, seeing that she had tried to laugh. He frowned.

Kia turned her back on Flame. _I think I'll enjoy talking to these wolves,_ she thought. They did remind her of her family, ironically.

Fire muttered something under his breath while Kia looked around for something to do. "Don't you go lookin' around for any trouble," growled Fire.

Kia blinked. "Well, you didn't exactly give me much to do," she replied curtly. Fire snarled at her, taking a step forward. Kia looked at Fire, trying to decide whether or not to fight him.

"You'd be stupid to try and take on the most powerful warrior."

Kia laid down, rolling her eyes. _Let him wallow in his beliefs,_ she thought.


	21. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything you can recognize from any book EVER. If you recongnize anything from any movie or book—anything, it isn't mine.**

Chapter 20

Marlo glared right back. "Why would he want to kill his sister?" he asked angrily.

Audren sighed. "To protect her..." she mumbled.

Marlo looked puzzled. "I hope you realize that makes no sense at all."

Audren scowled at the ground. "Yes! I know, but he doesn't want her to die with the same disease that he has...he'd rather do it himself..."

"But they only way he can really kill her is biting her, and that will infect her with the disease," said Marlo.

Audren looked sadly at Marlo. "Who do you think that was?"

"Who?"

"May..." Audren cut herself off.

Marlo barked. "Who?" He demanded.

Audren yelled: "MAYA!" She couldn't help the anger that overcame her.

Marlo barked. "That explains it!" he yelled. "She may be annoying, but there's still no reason to kill her!"

"You should at least treat me with respect and stop yelling! I could get killed if anyone hears this!"

Marlo lowered his voice. "Right," he whispered. He drew closer to her. "Listen, Audren. I am angry at Maya, and I wanted to hurt her. But that didn't wipe the friendship I had for her previously. I had happiness with my friends that I could never forget." he sighed. "I get tired of seeing you angry all of the time, whenever you attack. I want you to come with me. I want you to leave your master behind and live without worry."

Audren's mouth hung open. Then, she clamped it shut. Her eyes began to get teary.

"I don't want to watch you like that anymore! It hurts me to see it, building rage on Snake. I can't bare it, and I know you can't either."

"He's my only family though! He took me in! I-I can't!"

Marlo sighed. "You need to quit before it gets worse! What if with you repenting, it could inspire him?" Marlo suggested.

Audren stopped. What was her argument to this wise wolf?

"Come on," Marlo urged. "What's the use of staying with him? Really?"

Audren gave up. "I surrender..."

Marlo's ears pricked up. "You do?" he asked, surprised.

She nodded glumly.

Marlo ran forward and nuzzled her, almost in tears. "I'm so glad! I'm so glad!" he said. "Come on, I'll bring you to the Ring where you belong!"

Audren smiled, she'd never felt a friend before as Marlo began to bound off happily

Falkor checked over the Ring.

Marlo constantly looked back to make sure Audren was following, and then he would continued running.

"Who's that wolf?" asked Audren, looking to Falkor.

"He must be a Watch Wolf," explained Marlo. "I don't think I've met him before, though."

Audren nodded as Marlo thought of Maya, wondering when she would return. The two she-wolves would probably not get along well.

Falkor spotted approaching wolves. _I wonder who they are,_ he thought, holding his bent inward foreleg close to him.

"Hi!" Marlo trotted in through the Hot Gates with Audren, looking around for the Fengo.

"Who are you?" Falkor asked quietly. The shockingly pale wolf adjusted his position.

"I am Marlo," answered Marlo. "And this is my friend, Audren."

"Hey! We aren't friends yet," Audren whispered.

Marlo looked at her surprised. "Well," he muttered. "I see you as my friend."

"Fine!"

Marlo wanted to yell back, but he knew she was still used to being angry all of the time. "Do you want to go on watch?" he asked, changing the subject. "I don't know how long it will be until Maya gets back."

Audren immediately frowned.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she replied grimly. "It's my usual facial expression..."

"I'm sure that will change soon," Marlo said happily. He looked over, noticing Maya. He ran to her, nuzzling her. "Maya!" he said. "I'm so glad to see you; I'm sorry I yelled at you earlier."

"Stop that!" she growled.

Falkor gazed at the other wolves silently.

Marlo jumped back. "I said I was sorry..." he said slowly. He slowly sprouted a smile. "Audren came with me. She said she is joining us and leaving Snake behind. Isn't that great?"

It was as if the anger on her face increased. "You did what? Are you insane, Marlo?"

Falkor blinked, watching the angered she-wolf.

Marlo whimpered. "I'm glad she's with us. That means Snake only has one partner now, and we have another."

Maya stopped herself. Feeling the gazes of wolves, she stepped back.

Marlo nuzzled her. "Will you please forgive me for yelling?" he whispered. Maya did not reply. She was notorious for her sulking, which meant she could go a day without even saying any words. "I didn't mean to be stupid, I was just scared you were in trouble. It was ridiculous that I would be angry at you when being afraid for you." Marlo confessed.

Maya rolled her eyes. Still, her muzzle kept shut.

"I don't expect you to forgive me," Marlo sighed. "You shouldn't have to. I was despicable. Sorry." He turned back and let her alone, returning to Audren. "I think we should leave her alone," he said to her. "She isn't happy with me now. I yelled at her."

"She goes through a lot. And so does your friend Shadow. Don't let feelings turn so harsh…" muttered Audren to herself.

Falkor limped over to Maya. "What happened?" he asked her quietly.

"An idiot," she whispered.

Marlo nodded. "So," he said, sitting down beside Audren. "Tell me about Jay."

"J-Jay?" Audren looked at him.

Maya sighed.

Falkor nodded. "You probably don't want to tell me. After all I hardly know you and you hardly know me." The pale wolf began to head away.

"Wait! That doesn't mean anything!" Maya said as she raced back up to his side.

Falkor flinched harshly away, his tail between his legs as he feared being beaten by her. Maya cocked her head. "I...I'm sorry..." she whimpered.

Falkor stood up straight slowly, but left his tail. "Sorry... I didn't mean to..." he said as Maya could not help but feel embarrassed and glance away. "Sorry, I shouldn't have bugged you," Falkor said softly.

"No it's fine...I'm just kinda… weird like that?" she gave a small nervous smile.

Falkor blinked. "I'm Falkor..."

"And I'm...Maya" she said, smiling.

"Sorry I flinched so harshly, Maya... I once was with the MacHeaths... and..." Falkor didn't need to say much but turned in a certain way so his pale coat did not hide his scars and faint bruises everywhere.

Maya's eyes widened. "They—I cant believe them! They hurt you?" Maya uttered.

Falkor turned back to her but lowered himself a little, but mainly managed to control the instinct. "Yes..."

She scowled. "And I thought the MacNaans were harsh," she almost growled. The MacNaans were known relatives to the MacHeaths. She never knew they'd do something like this...

Falkor blinked a few times. Was he really that bad? "I... I'm certain that other wolves are worse than I..."

She cocked her head again. "I didn't mean it," Maya winced at her comment.

"Oh. I thought many other wolves were far worse than I. Does that mean that thought is true?" the male wolf asked, ears pricking.

"You aren't bad! I...I was talking about uh..." Maya stopped talking.

Falkor blinked and opened his jaws to say something before he shoved his muzzle in the dirt in the same submissive posture as gnaw wolves often did.

"What?"

Falkor closed his eyes and reminded himself of the recent events; he was not with the MacHeaths anymore, had won the Gaddergnaw games, and was now a Watch wolf. Once he reminded himself of everything he sat up. "I'm sorry," he whined apologetically. "I can't help it..."

Maya felt pity for Falkor, remembering that he was from the MacHeaths.

Falkor shook out his coat and stood. He thought for a moment and then said, "Let's check the Ring. They probably need our help keeping watch."

Maya nodded.

"Let's go," Falkor said and the pale wolf headed for the nearest volcano.

The black she-wolf glanced around. "Nobody," she replied.

Falkor looked at Maya. "We'd better keep watch then." He started to clamber up so he could watch over the volcano.

"Don't fall in!" Called up Maya

"I'll be fine!" Falkor laughed over his shoulder, but enjoyed someone's concern. He adjusted his three good paws and began surveying the volcano with careful precision.

Maya quickly leaped up the volcano and arrived by Falkor in a blink.

Falkor smiled at Maya. "So... you haven't been here long, have you?"

"Surprisingly, I have been here for a long time," replied Maya. "Since winter"

Marlo looked up at the cairn with a feeling of sadness. _No!_ he thought angrily. _You cannot possibly be jealous of Falkor._ He turned back to Audren sadly.

"What is it?" asked Audren.

"I still want to be mad at Maya," Marlo mumbled. Audren frowned. "Well," Marlo raised his voice. "Now what?"

Falkor blinked in surprise. "I don't know how I haven't managed to miss you for so long. I suppose I've been intent with other things."

"Probably," Maya said faintly.

Marlo continued to glare up at the cairn where the two wolves stood. Audren was confused. What was wrong with him? "Do you want to get to watch?" Marlo suggested quickly, turning to Audren again.

"Sure...?" She said confusedly.

"I'll take Stormfast, you take Morgan," Marlo suggested.

Falkor noticed Marlo kept looking at them and was slightly unnerved. He turned back to the volcano, adjusting his posture on the cairn, and said to Maya, "We'd better keep watch again before we get caught up in too much conversation." Falkor began his watch.

"Okay?" Maya nodded to Falkor. She was unnerved by Marlo's glaring.

Marlo took watch on his cairn, taking a few jumps before he looked to Audren. "You alright?" he asked quietly.

"Why do you glare?" asked Audren

"What do you mean?" Marlo asked.

"Maya...you look at her with envy."

"She and I were close friends," Marlo explained. "And then after one fight she talks to a guy she just met like a friend forever."

Audren shrugged. "So?"

"Its mean."

Audren rolled her eyes.

"What's with the eye roll?"

Falkor kept watch till curiosity got the better of him and he came down from his cairn to Marlo and Audren. "Hello," he said. "I'm Falkor. I didn't get your names..."

"I'm Audren" she replied

"We told you when we came in," Marlo reminded.

Maya jumped down beside Falkor, only looking at Audren. "Hi Maya," Marlo greeted. Still she didn't reply.

Falkor nodded. "Right. Sorry. I'm still trying to figure out why I haven't seen you before," he added with a smile. Marlo looked from Audren to Maya.

"In winter you blend in. Probably couldn't see you because of that?" Maya suggested.

Falkor looked at Maya.

"Sorry," she said.

Falkor then looked at Marlo. "So, wasn't Audren one of your enemies or something? I guessed that..."

Maya nodded.

Marlo frowned, "But she isn't anymore." he added. Maya frowned. This made Audren smile, and Marlo snickered at that.

"Oh shut up," Maya barked sharply at Marlo.

"Don't you recall my apology?" he muttered.

Maya closed here eyes

"Don't you?" he repeated.

It made her angry. Then, the pup's tiny voice yipped: "MAR-MAR!"


	22. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything you can recognize from any book EVER. If you recongnize anything from any movie or book—anything, it isn't mine.**

Chapter 21

Marlo's ears pricked up.

"Mar-Mar?" The she-pup ran in front of Maya, her white fur glinted.

"Raine, go back to the Fengo's" growled Maya.

"You never answered my question on who that was," said Marlo.

"A puppy..." sighed Maya.

"It appears so."

"Mar-Mar!" She tipped again.

"...Hi..." Marlo smiled.

"Mummy, why do you hate him so much?" she asked Maya, turning around.

Marlo looked at Maya as if expecting the answer as well.

"Okay who gave you speech lessons..?" Maya muttered. "Uh..." She was speechless. Maya really didn't want to tell Raine.

"Good question," Marlo said in a babyish voice to the pup. "Maya, why do you hate 'Mar-Mar' so much?"

Her eye twitched. She gave a fake smile and then said through gritted teeth, "Because you baby me too much"

"So next time you could be in grave danger you want me to forget it?" Marlo asked calmly.

"Yes," she growled. "If I need to die, you let me fool!" She shouted. She did not mind the glaring eyes anymore. In fact, she could care less about anything anymore.

"You know you don't mean that," Marlo barked. "What if I had let you alone the many (many) times you were in trouble? You would have died of rabies twice: once by Snake, once by Cags."

"You should've let me!" she snarled.

"You don't mean that either,"

Maya snickered. "Oh you don't know," she said. "You don't know me well enough to say that I don't mean the words I do say."

Raine yelped and backed into Marlo. "Don't be angry!" she whined. "Pwease!"

Marlo growled. "Listen, Maya," he said, trying to continue.

Jay was getting tired of waiting for Audren... where was she? It had been so long since she had returned. _I have to look for her_, he decided, trotting out of the Outermost.

Maya scowled. "I don't care Marlo," she said harshly.

"Well I do!" Marlo barked. "It's ridiculous that we argue like this. We would hate this if it were a week ago, and think it stupid. Why won't you forgive me?"

She had not replied.

"Well, why won't you?" Marlo asked again.

"I-I don't know, okay!" she shouted, she wanted to turn and run, but she only glared at Marlo.

"Well I'm sorry, and I'm asking you to forgive me for my despicable behavior." Marlo apologized.

She turned her face to the ground. "I'm sorry," she mumbled, her voice muffled.

"I forgive you," Marlo nuzzled her. "Will you please forgive me?"

Maya still didn't want to be nuzzled, but she replied with "I forgive you."

Marlo's tail shot up and he smiled. "Thank you, Maya!" he yipped, licking her.

"You ruined the moment," she muttered as Marlo licked her.

"Well are we friends again?"

"That...depends..."

"Well you're my friend again."

"Okay."

"I'm glad!" Marlo yipped. He looked down at the pup. "So, who is she?" he asked.

"Well...we really don't know. All we know is that she doesn't remember anything. Not even her name...so I called her Raine!" Maya explained. Raine confusedly nodded.

"She's cute!" Marlo said quietly.

"Well _duh_..." Maya rolled her eyes. Raine tilted her head.

"Papa Mar-Mar!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, tackling Marlo. Marlo jumped back, yipping like a pup. Raine giggled. "You're a chicken!" she said. Marlo pawed at Raine, falling down onto his side while making growling sounds. Raine tugged on Marlo's ear as she climbed on top of him. She was light, only being a pup. He play bit her paw and tackled her.

"Whoa!" she gasped as she fell off. She playfully laughed.

Maya sighed. "You guys make the perfect family!"

Marlo looked back at Maya. "She's a little jumpy for her age," he said.

"Probably hasn't been around wolves for a long time." Maya said as Marlo play bit Raine again and continued to tackle. "Enough! We gotta stop playing" Maya barked.

Marlo stood up, licking Raine's head. "Papa Mar!" she said with a big toothy smile.

Marlo laughed, nudging her with his muzzle. "Aren't you tired at all?" he asked.

"No!" she howled with a worried expression. "No sleep! No sleep! No tired!"

Marlo exchanged glances with Maya. "Maya," he said in a lower voice. "How are we going to get to work with Raine?"

"Uh...eh?" Maya shrugged, Raine cocked her head.

"Can we trust Audren with her?" Marlo asked. "Or should we let Kalamar take care of her?"

Maya looked at Audren, who smiled. Then at Kalamar, who cluelessly glanced around. "Uh..."

"I'm still not positive Audren is with us, so she could take Raine. I'd say Kalamar." Marlo said to her.

"But the bad thing is...Kalamar really doesn't...pay attention," whispered Maya.

"So... who should look over her?" Marlo asked, looking down at Raine again.

"Me!" volunteered Raine. Maya laughed.

"We want to find someone to play with you," Marlo said to Raine.

"I can," replied a voice. It was a young grey female.

Marlo turned. "Who are you?" he asked weirdly.

"Sea," she answered.

"Sea is your name?" Marlo asked.

"Yes," she nodded.

Maya nudged Raine to go to her. "No! She weird..." the pup squealed.

Marlo nudged her too. "It's okay, Raine. She's a fun wolf, just like your mama."

"But sometimes Mama isn't fun like you..." she mumbled. Maya stuck her tongue out.

"Sea is fun like both of us," Marlo assured.

Raine sighed and frowned. "No," she said. Maya picked her up by the scruff of her neck and put her down in front of Sea. She nudged Raine close.

"It'll be fine," Marlo said with a smile. "Maya and I have to go to work; we'll be back later."

"Fine fine" grumbled Raine. She sighed and looked up at Sea. The she-wolf smiled down at the pup. She was usually a caretaker anyway.

Marlo bounded off towards H'rathghar, beginning his watch. Maya wondered off to one of them while Raine growled and grunted.

Falkor watched Kiel. He loved the volcano because of how calm and gentle it was, despite the fact that the volcano often did not produce good embers.

_I wonder how much Falkor has went through..._thought Maya.

Marlo looked towards Maya as he jumped, watching Raine as well, and Falkor gave a tiny smile and said, "You don't need to change at all, Kiel. You're great just as you are." Even though the volcano was inanimate, Falkor felt all things had feelings, even things that did not have life. So, he at times spoke to random objects unexpected to be spoken to.

As Sea watched Raine, something caught her eye and her ear twitched. She lost attention of Raine. During that time, Raine smirked and quickly scampered off. She slowly made it up the Watch and made it secretly up by Marlo's side. "Mar-Mar!"

Marlo landed from jumping, barking with surprise. "Raine?" He scolded. "What are you doing up here?"

Falkor adjusted his position so his three good paws could support him well and did some scanning jumps. "That strange wolf is speaking to the volcano!" Raine shouted.

Falkor landed and watched a rock fall from Kiel. He laughed, "Nice."

"Hey Mister! _It_ won't say hi!" called Raine.

"Sh!" Marlo softly hushed her.

Raine scowled. "Aw! But he's talking to an inanimate object!"

Falkor blinked and looked at the two, flattening his ears back. He then looked back at the volcano.

"Hey, hey! Can I come and talk to it with you?" she cried.

"Raine," Marlo explained. "It's rude to talk to people like that. He wants to concentrate when he works."

Falkor looked at her. He drew his tail in between his legs and said, "I'm sorry..." uncertain of what else to say.

Raine looked at Falkor's submission and then looked down. "Sorry Papa...I didn't mean it that way" Falkor watched and then turned to Kiel.

"It's okay, Raine, just make sure not to do it again," said Marlo. "Falkor is a nice wolf."

Maya couldn't help but overhear. "Ooh Raine...you troublemaker...you really do act like Marlo..." she mumbled. But then she smiled.

"Okay Papa," Raine replied.

"Aww, thanks," Marlo said to Maya.

Maya looked up at Marlo, but then looked down. "I should really stop saying things aloud when he's near...pervert," she smirked as she said this.

Falkor did a few more scanning jumps, but knew that there was not much to look for. Even then, he was vigilant. He stopped again for a moment, checking his paws, then jumped again.

"What are you up to?" Maya asked Falkor.

Marlo nudged Raine away for a moment to make space to a jump, and then made the leap. He stopped in mid-air for a moment before returning without any fancy movements.

Maya took interest in this. What was he doing?

"Mama! Papa's going somewhere!" she cried. She really loved the echo of the air.

Falkor looked at Maya. "Just the usual. Why?" he asked and then jumped again, twisting so that he could check an area he hadn't and then landed neatly on his three paws, but winced a little at the amount of pressure on his good forepaw. He checked it and then looked back at her.

"Oh, nothing," replied Maya. She leaped down to meet with the two males.

Marlo jumped again, eyeing Falkor and Maya strangely, and then returning for another jump. When he was at full height, he looked over and noticed a grey malkin coming straight for him, smacking into his head.

Falkor jumped a few more times and then looked down from his cairn at Maya.

"MARLO!" panicked Maya. She jumped up to see if the brunette wolf was fine. "You clumsy idiot! Watch where you go, okay?" she said as she nuzzled his head. Falkor turned his attention to Marlo.

Marlo snapped at the grey malkin when he had been in air, injuring its wing, but it fluttered off.

"We'll have to keep an eye out for that one," Falkor noted, half to himself.

"You didn't have to snap at it," Maya said.

Marlo was panting angrily once he was down again. He had three large lacerations down the right side of his face and sealing his eye shut.

"Uh...Marlo...you should...get...the Sark...for that..." gasped Maya.

Falkor leaped from his cairn to Marlo. "You need rest. Come along," he said, heading for Marlo's den.

Marlo shook his head. "No..." he said, keeping his left eye shut as well. "I'll just... get to the river and wash it off."

"Uh-..." Maya didn't argue with him.

Marlo, once returning, was still bleeding a little, but he could not open his eye due to swelling. Still, he kept watch. "You should rest," Maya finally said.

Marlo wanted to disagree, but he stopped suddenly. "Okay," he said, galloping to the den. "Goodnight, Maya and Raine."


	23. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything you can recognize from any book EVER. If you recongnize anything from any movie or book—anything, it isn't mine.**

Chapter 22

Falkor blinked at Maya. "What is the Sark like?" he asked. He had heard of her but never actually met the wolf.

"She helped save Maya's life," Marlo said from the den. "She's nice, but not pretty."

Falkor nodded. "Oh. Well, that's good. We need some wolves like that." Falkor turned his muzzle to the sky, checking the time, then headed back for Kiel.

Marlo soon headed off into a dream world as he drifted into a deep sleep. Maya stopped for a moment. "Wait... don't go to _sleep_!" She yelped after remembering something.

Falkor jumped and stopped, looking over his shoulder at Maya. Marlo looked up. "You may not wake back up..." Maya said.

"You just told me to go to sleep,"

"Yeah..."

Falkor blinked. "I can see their bond is strong," he muttered under his breath. So he could hear them he said louder, "Perhaps Maya is right. You should go to the Sark so no infections come."

"And you don't end up dying of a head concussion," Maya added.

Marlo set his head back on his paws in hope of more sleep. "No!" cried Maya, pouncing on him. "No sleep! To the Sark!"

Marlo jerked awake again. "For what reason?" he asked drowsily.

"I don't want you dying in your sleep!"

Marlo looked up again. "It's just a bad, aching, stinging, pain-throbbing cut, Maya," he said.

Her left eye twitch as she broke into a growling fit. She bit Marlo's tail and started to drag him by it. He let out a loud yelp and jumped up. "Alright! We're going!"

"That's what I thoughtm" she growled. Raine jumped up.

"Take me!" she cried, jumping on Maya's back.

Marlo trotted towards the Fengo's den to report their to-be absence, returning to Maya in a moment. "Good" Maya said. "Off to adventure!" she shouted, and Raine copied her.

Marlo bounded off towards the Hot Gates and towards the Sark of the Slough.

Maya trudged up to the Sark and then collapsed to the ground. "So...heavy" she groaned as Raine jumped off her.

The Sark looked strangely at them, having been kindling her fire. "Yes...?" she asked.

"Idiot...here...hit his...head." huffed Maya. Raine nuzzled Marlo's leg.

The Sark's expression went dull again as she came closer, examining his cut. "Owl scratches," she muttered to herself. "Where did you get these?"

"I'm a Watch Wolf," Marlo groaned.

"Oh," the Sark nodded. She lifted a paw and nudged Marlo's head to open his eye. He squirmed, causing her to jerk too. "It doesn't look good," she said at length. "Your eye is heavily wounded and won't open for along time, and when it does, it will have a pink or red scare on it, which will make your vision cloudy for a long time. I don't know how long; maybe forever."

"Any other terrible news?" Marlo asked.

The Sark nodded. "It looks infected."

"No!" howled Maya. "You shouldn't have went jumping, Marlo!" she snarled.

"It was my shift!" Marlo complained. "I hadn't been on Watch in a while; it was my turn. Besides, I injured that owl too." He looked at the Sark tensely. "How is it infected? It hasn't even been three hours since I was cut."

The Sark shrugged. "It's infected bad, Watch Wolf." She came closer, examining it again.

Maya closed her eyes.

Marlo growled, getting a strange and concerned look from the Sark. "It's not infected by dirt," she said. "It's infected by some sort of plant or the juice of a plant." She looked at it closer. "Never mind that; it looks just like that of snake venom."

Maya got curious about this. "Snake venom?" she asked.

"Yeah," the Sark nodded. "Are you sure it was an owl that attacked you?"

"Most certainly," Marlo paused for a moment. "But it was a greymalkin." he looked at Maya. "What if he was trying to kill me? What if he had the venom on his talons or something?"

"Wouldn't that be impossible? Unless he had a snake in his grasp" Maya concluded.

The Sark nodded. "Either of your guesses are possible," she said. "It is possible that an owl would kill a venomous snake, drench its own talons in the venom, and attack you, Watch Wolf. But it is also possible that he took the snake with him."

Marlo frowned. "Why would the snake bite me and not the owl first?" he inquired.

"Mybe they are working together?"

Marlo nodded. "True..." he said, casting his one-eyed gaze to the floor.

"Impossible though," murmured Raine.

"You could come tomorrow," The Sark suggested. "I know what snake bites look like. If it was a snake bite, the fangs would have penetrated and then poisoned," she frowned. "Of course, the places that are infected are the scratches, and there are three scratches, not two."

"So you patch them with herbs!" added Raine intelligently.

Marlo turned. "How do you know about this kind of stuff?" He asked.

"I had to live alone for a while" Raine shrugged. "You get to adapt!"

The Sark nodded. "Well, she's right. I'll get some medicine I have for snake infections." She hurried away into a hallway of her cave.

Raine smirked to herself. "I'm smarter than Papa..."

Marlo nuzzled her with a laugh. "Sure you are," he said.

"Yes you are," murmured Maya into Raine's ear. She giggled.

Marlo yipped, tackling her. "But not stronger!" he growled.

"Gah!" yelped Raine.

"Not logical," grumbled Maya

The Sark returned with the plant, sobering Marlo up as she gave him some in a little clay jug. "Wet them and put them on your scratches once a day for two weeks, alright? It could get very, very bad if you don't. Deadly, I mean."

"Wha?"

"If you don't keep aiding your wounds with them every day, you could die," the Sark repeated. "You'd best be off and do them now. And don't break the jar; it keeps those fresh."

"So don't be clumsy with the jar," Maya taunted Marlo.

Marlo smiled. "Thanks, Sark," he said, picking up the jar firmly.

Maya waited before they would go. _No really, don't drop it Airhead..._she thought to herself, rolling her eyes.

Marlo trotted down towards the Slough, making his way in the direction of the Ring.

"Herb Erb derb derp," Raine sung.

Marlo shot Maya an odd look as if to say _What kind of pup did you take in?_ If he were not carrying a clay jar, he would have asked her, especially because Raine almost never understood what exactly anyone was talking about.

"What...?" Maya whispered. Raine wandered ahead of them.

Marlo shook his head with a small chuckle as if to tell her "Never mind."

Maya shrugged and then kept to walking when suddenly, Jay jumped in front of them.

"Gah!" yelped Maya Marlo jumped back with a yelp, almost dropping the jar.

"Don't drop it!" yipped Raine, sliding under Marlo.

Falkor continued his watch, hoping that the other wolves would come back safely.

Maya arrived at the Watch and looked up at Falkor, with a greeting yip. Falkor smiled and leaped from his cairn, walking toward Maya. "How did it go?" he asked.

"Eh...we ran into Jay but somehow I...outran him" Maya said.

Falkor blinked. "And this Jay is an enemy of yours?"

Maya nodded. "Very evil."

Falkor nodded slowly. "So you didn't bring the others all the way back here? Are Raine and Marlo back here now?"

"Oh..." Maya winced, "Crap. Well...I have to go...now..." she stuttered.

Falkor nodded again. "Just go on back and receive them. I'll come with you if you need the help."

"Okay."

Falkor gave a nod to Maya and headed for the exit of the Watch to find the others.

Kia ate a rabbit's haunch. Fire mumbled, keeping watch over the prisoner still while she grumbled under her breath.

"What is it, Prisoner?" he growled at her. Kia didn't reply but gnawed on one of the bones of the rabbit haunch.

"Humph...way to play silent treatment, lad" he shook his head. Kia gnawed a drawing and laughed quietly at how pathetic it was before continuing to gnaw on it. Fire was growing agitated by this she-wolf. Was she not afraid? Or was she just dumb to even know what this pack does? He sighed with a growl following it, then glared at her. "Gnawing is crait."

Kia shrugged. "Who cares? I'm imprisoned anyway. Might as well do whatever I want. After all, the MacHeaths aren't that happy with you stealing their outflanker. I'm just finding something to do."

Jay walked towards then angrily. Fire looked at Jay as if to ask him what was wrong.

"I don't know where Audren went," Jay muttered angrily. "I looked for her. I don't know where she is!"

"Hmm…" Fire seemed to look up in thought, but no thought came to mind.

"I think she was hurt, or she ran away," Jay suggested. "She could have been hungry and collapsed, and some mangy Outclanners came and tore her apart."

Fire's eyes widened. "A bit gruesome, man, eh?"

"Gruesome and realistic," answered Jay.

"I guess you are right but...she is your mate...don't be that, well...negative."

"Why shouldn't I be negative?" Jay snarled. "She could be in trouble."

"But if she is in trouble, you really wouldn't want to give Negative an idea."

Jay growled. "I guess your right," he said. "But I want her to come back now. Snake could get mad at hurt and bite her."

Fire shuddered. "I'm surprised that...Anna actually...doesn't know about that."

"Know about what? Snake?"

"Yes...we really shouldn't talk about it when we're in her den. I'm keeping watch of our latest captures."

Jay lay his head on his paws. He would look for her again.


	24. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything you can recognize from any book EVER. If you recongnize anything from any movie or book—anything, it isn't mine.**

Chapter 23

Night fell over the Watch and most Watch Wolves went to their dens for rest. Marlo, however, decided to stay on watch until midnight. He and Raine had run of and his jar had taken a small crack, but all was well when Maya found them and lead them home.

Maya snuggled down.

Marlo's watch was long and tedious, but at last the moon reached its highest and he trotted down his cairn towards his den. "Go…to...sleep," Maya grunted

Marlo lay down a few feet from Maya, curling his tail around his face. He wanted to talk to her, but he wondered whether or not she was tired enough. "Maya..." he began without lifting his head.

"What...?" She said, her voice sounded gruff for no reason

"How was..." Marlo was not sure what he was asking yet. "How—How was watch today?"

Maya's eyes opened. "Obviously good...because we aren't dead."

"Yeah..." Marlo said quietly. "...Right..." He sighed, curling up tighter. "You tired?"

"No! I am wide awake thinking of fluffy bunnies!"

"Oh," Marlo answered. "Well... uh... goodnight."

Maya yawned.

"Uh, Maya?" Marlo asked, knowing she was almost asleep again. "Who was that Falkor guy... the Watch Wolf?"

"Oh him? A newbie...newie I meant...why?"

"I dunno," he answered with a sigh. "You two seemed to like each other... a lot."

Maya jumped to her feet, her fur ruffled. "What?" she shrieked. "You are just jealous because you never met my nice side before!" Maya shouted.

Marlo almost threw himself back into cowering, and his head came out from behind his tail. "What?" he stammered. "I—I'm not jealous—just curious. I mean, if you two like each other he must be a good wolf, right? No need for fretting, Maya. Sorry if I made you upset." He had to be careful around her nowadays after their argument.

Maya just smirked. "You...are…jealous! Envying Falkor!" She began to laugh. "I knew it!" Maya burst with laughter. Marlo stood up with a stomp and walked out of the den growling. "Oh come on! Admit it Airhead! Please, for Maya? For your darling wolf Maya?"

"Go away," Marlo barked back without turning, heading for the Hot Gates or any close exit from the Ring.

Maya blinked. "What the...huh?" Maya felt confused. Marlo getting _angry_?

"Goodnight, Maya," he called before disappearing.

Maya frowned. "Really? My Lupus, get your tail back over here!"

There was no reply.

She sighed. "Okay fine. Walk off and be a jerk! I'll just go with Falkor then!"

But sadly, Maya didn't know where Falkor was. "Why...if I hadn't said that and acted dumb...we wouldn't be in this mess."

Marlo sat down beside a stream for a while; he was not going to go back to the Watch until the next day. He continued to sit alone, staring angrily at the water as he thought of Maya. As he sat by the stream, Marlo glanced back at the Watch. He sighed, stood, and trotted beside a tree where he curled up for sleep.

"I shall go to the Sark! She may have something to say about this?" Maya sighed, going to the Sark.

_Maybe I was being ridiculous... _Marlo thought. _Of course I was... I always do._ Maya trotted to the Sark, not even noticing Marlo.

The Sark lifted her head into the wind, picking up the scent of a wolf. _Watch Wolf, _she thought, returning to her work. Maya entered the Sarks cave. "Hi," she said shyly.

"Hello," The Sark greeted back, not expecting any visitors. "Who are you, and what do you want?" she was not particularly happy on this night, but she decided not to drive anyone off.

"Uh...Watch Wolf and...why do you speak so quickly?"

The Sark smirked. "Is that why you came?" she inquired sarcastically. "I speak quickly because I intend to fly to business quickly as well."

Maya tilted her head. "Oh! Okay. Uh...we'll...what do you do if you get in a fight with your friend?"

"I don't have friends," the Sark stated. "But if I did I would probably not be happy with them. Maybe I'd make it up to them later and be friendly."

Maya rolled her eyes. "It sounds easy, but it isn't," she murmured.

The Sark smiled again, "Oh, so you have experience?"

"Eh...you could call this experience as small as a rat's brain."

"Whoever this friend is, either tell them you are sorry or forgive them for what they need to be sorry about," the Sark suggested.

"Okay..." Maya said, she was about to leave. But the she stopped and said, "Thanks for the things you've done for us, Sark," and then left.

The Sark looked off as she walked away, a breeze ruffling her crazy fur. "You're welcome," she whispered before returning to her work.

Maya then hindered in the forest looking for Marlo. As she did, he continued to sleep by the side of the tree, tail beside his face again.

"Hey Airhead—oh—uh, I mean... Marlo! Mar-mar! Where are you?"

Marlo's erect ears flickered, and his eyes opened. His tailed moved from his face and he slowly lifted his head.

Maya frowned. "Where could he—" Maya stepped on a tail.

Marlo jumped up with a yelp.

As he did so, Maya jumped back. "Ah!" She yelped, out of instinct she tackled Marlo to the ground

His head slammed against the ground with a thud, and his vision clouded. "Ouch..." he groaned, eye refocusing on who stood over him. "Maya?"

Maya looked at Marlo and blushed. She got off of him and put her head down. "Hi."

He pushed himself up slowly. "...Hi..." he answered. "I didn't know you'd; I—I mean I didn't think you'd come looking for me."

"Well...of course I'd come looking for you...you did it a lot for me so..." Maya felt suddenly awkward.

Marlo looked at his paws, looking back at her shyly. "Well..." he stuttered. He shut his eyes as if angry at him self and then jumped forward, nuzzling her. "I'm ridiculous!" he yipped.

This took her by surprise. "And I am...sorry."

"You shouldn't be," Marlo snapped. "I ran off for the stupidest reasons. I am sorry."

"But I started everything" she shot back at Marlo.

Marlo laughed. "Let's not get into another argument," he suggested.

Maya shook her head and grinned. "It's kinda turned into a fun game now."

Marlo's grin turned to a frown. "Maya," he said sternly. "If we are going to be friends, we have got to trust each other and stop arguing all of the time... deal?"

Maya rolled her eyes. "Fine" she whined.

"I don't want any of our conversations to be awkward or angry- you're my best friend and I can't talk to you like that." Marlo said sternly. He began to step out towards the Ring when he stopped, stared at the ground, and began to pant. "Maya..." he stuttered, gasping. At last he stumbled and fell down, unconscious.

"Marlo!" She yelped. Maya tugged on him "Wake up! Wake up!"

Marlo was fighting to regain thought, but he could not. Consciousness had drifted far away, and at last he stopped shaking and stilled. _What is wrong with me?_ Had been his last thought.

_Not rabies, I don't think...right?_ Maya whimpered and her tail went in between her legs.

Marlo released a little groan, shutting his eyes tighter. "Again, sorry to bother the Sark," Maya uttered. She bit down on Marlo's tail and tried to drag him, but this was useless.

He yelped a little, still in a trance. He finally shook his head and blinked, groaning. "Maya...?" he moaned, hardly awake.

"Mar? Are you...okay?" She nuzzled led him.

"Uh... no..." Marlo moaned, trying to stand. "My face hurts... I can't feel my paws..."

"I can't feel my brain for once!" She yipped, either terrified or mixed emotions. Marlo groaned, almost unable to speak. "Sark, here I come back a third time," Maya said to herself.

Marlo nodded. "Go... and... and get her..." he stuttered.

"Yes!"

He drifted away for a moment again.

"Uh...hey you! Keep an eye on Marlo while I go grab the Sark! He is in need of medical attention!" she ordered one of the Watch Wolves almost like a Chieftain.

Marlo blinked up at the Watch Wolf who had come looking for them, his one eye trying to focus. "Hi," The Watch Wolf, Sea, yipped.

"...Hi..."

"I guess I take care of you while she goes get the Sark."

"Yeah... sure..." Marlo muttered.

"Now come on then, to a den we go!" she said, pulling on Marlo with her jaws clasped around his neck.

He stumbled a little, trying to stand on his own. The pain in his eye was going worse.

"No stand," she growled.

"I think I know what's wrong with me," he said, hardly audible.

"Huh?"

"I think I... I..." He stumbled off.

"Hush hush..." Sea whispered into his ear after reaching some quiet place that was dark.

Maya returned with the Sark, but saw no Sea nor Marlo.

"Where is Maya?" Marlo asked.

"I don't know, but you need to stop worrying!" Sea said in an annoyed tone.

"But I'm dying."

Sea winced. "_Fine_. Keep complaining. It's not like she's going to walk through that door with the Sark!" she snarled.

Suddenly, a head popped in. "_Marlooo_!"

"Maya?" Marlo tried opening his eyes, but they ached too much.

"I got the _Sark_! It's gonna be okay," she said

"Good!"

"Where is he?" the Sark inquired, stepping in with Maya.

"The brown wolf with the swollen eyes of course!"

The Sark frowned. "The Watch Wolf. Did you try giving him his medicine?"

Maya stopped talking. "Uh...oh uh..."

"Obviously not. Where is his medicine?" the Sark asked.

Marlo spoke up. "I don't know where it is... maybe in my den."

"I shault get thus meds and do what I am supposed," Maya said. Marlo smiled, but kept his eyes shut. The black wolf scurried off and let Sea with the Sark.

"I told you, Watch Wolf," the Sark whispered. "This is fatal." He whimpered.

"Okay okay...now if I were Mar, where would I put meds?" Maya murmured. She sniffed around. Nope. No trace.

"Did you know anyone with this disease?" Marlo asked the Sark.

"I did know one wolf..."

"What happened to him?"

The Sark did not reply right away. She sighed, "He died."

Sea looked down.

"Lets hope it doesn't happen the same way twice," Marlo whispered, finding himself much more awake now.

Maya whimpered. She sniffed and looked around: could it have been where Jay had attacked them?

Marlo thought of that as well, but groaned again at the pain.

_Oh nuts...it is back there! Uh oh...okay, super awesomeness, don't fail me now! _ thought Maya.

"Where is Maya?" Marlo asked.

"Getting… the… _medicine!_" snarled Sea, holding her ears with her paws.

"Where is she?" Marlo demanded, but then lowered his voice. "I don't want to die without her."

"She is getting the medicine! I don't know where she is so will you stop asking me for the three thousandth time?" Sea yelled in complete ferocity.

"Only the third time, actually," Marlo whispered.

Sea's eye twitched. "How can she put up with you?" she yelled.

"She usually doesn't."

"How's that?"

"Never mind," Marlo grunted. "Where is Raine?"

"Her? Well..." Sea looked up.

"Well…?"

"She kinda ran off with this wolf," said Sea.

Marlo's infected eye opened. "What?"

"Hey! She said it was a friend of yours!"

"Audren? I hope she hasn't betrayed us."

"I dunno who it was...the scent was different from this Audren."

Marlo groaned. "Where's Maya?" he asked for a fourth time.

"GAHHH!" Sea howled as loud as she could.

"Girl, I am about to _die_!" Marlo yelled. "I kind I want to know where she is!"

"Just...die already!" the she-wolf snarled very cold-heartedly.

Marlo jumped up and pinned Sea to the ground. "Find Maya, and then I'll die for you."

"...Not my problem..." she sighed and pushed the wolf off of her.

The Sark stood up. "I'll go look for her, then," she said, turning.


	25. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything you can recognize from any book EVER. If you recongnize anything from any movie or book—anything, it isn't mine.**

Chapter 24

"Ookay...is this it?" Maya bit something hard, but yelped. "Ow! Rock! Rock!"

Maya's scream helped the Sark to find her quickly. "I've come to help," said she. "Marlo is kind of going crazy now."

"Aw...it's _Jay's fault_!"

The Sark sighed. "Well we can find it; it's my jar and I'll smell it." she stuck her nose to the ground.

Maya gave a childish look. "Aw..." The Sark began to walk away, but made no sound. "Are you possessed or something?" Maya asked in a pup tone.

The Sark stopped for a moment. "I don't know," she said.

Maya's eyes widened, and then she shouted random gibberish, since she was so weird like that.

The Sark continued to smell, confused with the Watch Wolf's behavior.

"Uh..."

The Sark suddenly quickened her pace. "I got the scent," the paused. "The scent of Marlo, at least."

"If it smells like bad rabbit...let's rumble!" The Sark looked back, still confused. "Why is it that you wolves don't understand a single word I say?" Maya grumbled to herself, sauntering as she walked.

The Sark yipped. "Found it!" she yelped.

"Sweet mother of Marlo,_ yeah_!" The Sark gently picked it up and dashed back towards the Ring. "Eh! I cant turn into a cougar and turn fast you know, wait for me!" Maya yelped.

The Sark slowed a little, wishing to remind Maya of Marlo's life being on the line. At last they came to the Hot Gates.

"Hey Marlo! Are you still alive? Because I'll wake you if you aren't somenow!" Maya yelled.

The Sark came into the den, but he was not moving.

Maya looked at Marlo. "Uh...hey, I was just joking, okay? I really don't know how to raise wolves from the dead."

The Sark set the jug down and dumped the contents onto the floor. "The lid came off," she said. "They are dry like they cannot be." She nudged the jar to Maya. "Try to fill it up with water at the creek and make it back without spilling!" she said.

"Uh, okay!" Maya whined, grabbing the jar and running full speed ahead. "Cree, cree!" Maya muttered with the jar in her mouth.

The Sark sat beside Marlo.

Maya was in such a rush when she got the jar filled up, that she ended up spilling some as she ran up the hill and then had to go back down like a bullet and get more in it. "_Oa_!" Maya shouted.

Marlo groaned, but at last he ceased to move. Maya ran to the thingy and then got to Marlo, panting.

"I don't know what is wrong with him," the Sark said. "He is either almost dead or dead."

"Get the stuff on him, please!" Maya snarled.

The Sark lifted some of the plant from the ground with her teeth and set it on Marlo's eye. She ten dipped her paw in in the jar's little water and patted the herbs down. He moved a little.

_Live! Live! Live!_ Maya's thoughts shouted.

Marlo took in deep breaths with his eyes closed, and then stilled entirely.

"Alas!" the Sark whispered. "I believe our Watch Wolf is gone."

"I'm going to rip your face off if you don't come back!" Maya cried out loud awkwardly because she really did not want to cry.

The Sark frowned. "I doubt there will be need for that," she mumbled.

"I don't care! He can't do that!

The Sark sighed. "Where is Raine?" she finally asked.

Maya looked at Sark. "Uh...bad thing, I don't know" she uttered.

There came a voice from the entrance, and in walked a reddish colored wolf with green eyes, but no deformity. "Where is Marlo?" he asked.

Maya's jaw dropped. "_Are you_…?"

"Am I what?"

"Mirlo? Or Shadow?" Maya questioned, feeling dumb.

"Mirlo," he answered. "I'm Mirlo."

"Okay; save your brother or I'll knock you off your paws and threaten you more!"

"What's wrong with him?" Mirlo asked.

"And you ask the questions exactly like him... he is d-y-i-n-g! Save or you will be doing the same thing!"

Mirlo walked towards Marlo. "Dead?" he whispered. "No one told me he was dead!"

"He's dead? I thought he was just...dying...not...dead…" Maya's voice disappeared.

Mirlo pressed his head up to Marlo's heart. "He is alive!" he yipped.

Everything was silent. Then, Maya pounced on Marlo. "MAR MAR! MARLO! I knew you would never die on me!" Maya said.

Mirlo yelped. "He's still unconscious!" he cried.

"Let him sleep," the Sark suggested.

Silverstorm woke from her long mid afternoon nap. Her sleep was nice and peaceful, filled with with nice dreams, but it was also filled with memories. Memories of old. Silverstirm sighed a little, stood, and stretched her legs. "I guess I should go outside for a little bit," she told herself as she exited her lonely cave.

"I'll let you take care of him, and I will come and visit often," Mirlo said, leaving. He began to walk back home.

Silverstorm saw Mirlo walk back into the clan territory. She had be worried about him ever since he had left very early that morning. Silverstorm walked up to Mirlo. "What happened?" she asked very carefully.

"My brother is sick..." answered Mirlo sadly. He would have struck a gnaw wolf like her if he were like the others in the pack.

Silverstorm wanted to stay calm and not over react, but hearing the news that Mirlo's brother was sick was upsetting to her. "How did it happen?" she asked. She was worried for Mirlo.

"I don't know," Mirlo sighed. "He never told me. But I hope he gets well soon."

Silverstorm nodded a little. "He was a worthy wolf. If he does go he will most surely go to the Cave of Souls," Silverstorm said trying to make Mirlo happy again.

Mirlo smiled a little. "Thanks," he sighed. "I'll be going to check on him later to day... would you like to join me?"

"Sure," Silverstorm said quietly.

Mirlo looked over to a she-wolf with dark brown fur. "Mirlo, you're back!" she said. "Is Marlo okay?"

"I suppose," Mirlo whispered. "Go back to your den, Kiran."

Kiran looked at Mirlo sternly. "Mirlo, you stay home. I can imagine your fear for your brother. I'll go and check on Marlo right now!" she nuzzled him quickly and began off.

Kiran approached the Watch, a shiver running up her spine. She knew Marlo was not overly fond of her, but because she was coming for Mirlo, he might enjoy her company.

"Hey Marlo? Are you still okay?" Maya asked the brown male wolf who rested.

Marlo opened his eye a little, groaning. "Maya?" he asked, looking up at her. He sat up a little, licking her nose.

She nuzzled Marlo, glad he was alive. "We have a lot to be thankful for."

Marlo got up and stretched. "I feel a little better," he said. "But I just can't fell half my face."

Maya looked at it. "May be a bit numb."

Marlo nodded, but stepped up to nuzzle her deeper. "I'm glad I'm okay," he said. "I wished you were there all of the time."

"Me too" she whispered.

"I think I might recover." He looked up to see Kiran coming.

Silverstorm had secretly followed Kiran and watched as she went to check on Marlo, the brother or Mirlo. Silverstorm fallowed her all the way to a place she knew, but she didn't know it at the same time: The Watch. She had only been here once to watch as a gnaw wolf made his way up the mountain. It was a strange thing she had thought when she first saw, it but now she wanted so badly to get her turn to travel up that mountain and no longer be a gnaw wolf. She continued to watch in secret.

Maya looked over. "Who are you two? Why are you here?" she asked, kind of in a stern tone. She had spotted Kiran and a small figure behind her, watching them.

Silverstorm went cold as soon as she heard that she was spotted. She knew that because she was spotted she had to go and tell them what she was doing there. "I am Silverstorm," she said as she came out from behind her rock. "I am very sorry if I scared you." Silverstorm said to the she-wolf standing with her friends brother.

"I'm Kiran," the Outflanker explained. "Mirlo is my friend; I came to check on Marlo for him."

"You did not scare me!" Maya snarled angrily to Silverstorm.

Kiran spoke softly. "We just came to see Marlo." she said.

"Oh uh...sorry. I was talking to uh—never mind." Maya felt embarrassed.

Marlo poked his head out of the den.

"You should be a bit careful..." Maya muttered.

He trotted up and nuzzled her. "It's fine," he smiled. "I feel better... sort of..."

"_Sort of_," Maya rolled her eyes, but did not bother argue anymore

"We ought to go hunting sometime soon," Marlo suggested.

Maya nodded. "But first, visit with these people?" Maya's voice squeaked.

"Right!" Marlo yipped.

"By the way...who's Kiran?"

Marlo's expression melted into strees. "Kiran..." he turned to the MacAngus she-wolf. "Did Mirlo _have_ to send you?"

"He didn't," Kiran answered. "I sent myself for him."

"So then...You arent even a Watch Wolf? What are you two doing up here then?" Maya asked.

"Marlo is Mirlo's brother, and Mirlo is my best friend. I came to return to Mirlo with a report on Marlo's health." Kiran explained.

"Not related" Maya shot.

"No, not yet."

"What?" Maya growled, she still felt offended for no reason

Kiran looked confused. "What do you mean by what?"

"I don't know! What do you mean not related yet?" she barked

Kiran's gaze drifted to the ground. "Let's just say I have hopes of being pawfast some day," she smiled. "So how are you, Marlo? Mirlo's waiting for me."

Maya gasped and a devious grin appeared. "You want to get paw fast with Mirlo!" She teased.

Kiran smiled. "After knowing him for so long I don't know what she-wolf wouldn't," she muttered.

"Me of course, I barely know him and he's Marlo's brother!"

Marlo sighed. "Tell Mirlo I'm doing fine; that I am hungry all of the time."

Kiran looked confused, but nodded.

"That's actually not true; I like saving it for later." he said.

"Yeah...considering while you were dying, you were hungry."

Marlo whined. "Well—Well who isn't?"

Maya raised a paw.

"Who are you?" Silverstorm asked suddenly feeling like all her patience in a split second. She was unsure of these wolves' rank, but she did not care at the moment. All she wanted was for her friend to be okay.

"The awesome pure black she wolf, Maya." Maya said.

Marlo grinned. "She's Maya, and I'm Marlo. We're Watch Wolves."

"Way to ruin it, Fuzball," Maya whined.

"She is still pure black and awesome, though."

Silverstorm nodded a little. She had heard the whole conversation about getting paw-fast but Silverstorm had no intention of that for a while. And besides, who would want to mate with a gnaw wolf? Unless she got her turn to be chosen she would be the lowest of the low. She sighed a little. "I think you're right on the hunting, by the way. We should go tonight. Unless you can't trust a gnaw wolf." She said the last sentence as a challenge. She wanted this wolf to trust her and maybe put in a good word with the leader.

"Aw...and your still my fuzzy airhead we all know and love," Maya said to Marlo. "Never know" she sighed agitatedly to Silverstorm.

"Besides," Marlo said. "You are both from the MacAngus Clan, am I right? So am I! I am Aldwyn's heir: the gnaw wolf."

"MacAngus...MacDuncan...MacMacMac...all have evils...never know," Maya said.

"Gnaw Wolves are no different from packers," Marlo growled. "All gnaw wolves know that better than anyone else."

"Uh...fine..." Maya grumbled with a frown.

"Well don't you?"

"No because I was a different Gnaw Wolf. Packers...laughed at them." Maya mumbled

Silverstorm sighed; these people had no idea what she had went through as a pup but she still said, "Yes, I know. Now should we leave or not?"

"Okay," Maya shouted. "Then let's go do the hunt!"

Silverstorm gave a wolffish grin and nodded. "Yes. Let the hunt start." Although as she said this, Silverstorm was nervous. This was one of the times she doubted her sense of smell really had returned to her, or if it was all just a dream. She would always soon be reassured that she truly had her sense of smell, but she still had her disbeliefs.

"Why do you want to hunt so bad anyway?" murmured Maya

Kiran looked puzzled. "Why does she want to hunt? She's a gnaw wolf! Of course she wants to!"

"Never heard of being a rebel and sneaking out?"

Silverstorm sighed. "To know why, you must know my story." She sighed again "Let me start from the beginning. I was born without my sense of smell. It was not a life thretaning deformity and so the Obea felt bad for me and left me at a place in which she knew I would live. I did but it was hard. I was forced to try and get my sent but it took many moons. Soon it did return and I found my way to the clan. All I want is to prove that I lived for a worthy reason."

Maya looked at her dumbfounded. "And that connects to hunting _how_?"

"We all need hunting," Marlo said.

"No, I just really didn't get her story..." Maya mumbled.

"If I can smell I can track the animals. If I could not smell I would not be able to do that. I just need to prove myself." Silverstorm said.

"Okay!" Maya said as if she was paying attention. She walked from where they stood. "Now let's move."

"I know how you feel," Marlo whimpered to Silverstorm.

_So much talking but I really don't wanna listen...Grah?_ Maya shook her head.

Marlo jumped. "Let us go!" he cried. Maya leaped down and exited the Watch.

Silverstorm followed behind her but also behind the other wolves. It was just destined for her to be last. This was not always a bad thing though for this way she could also sniff out any rabbit or other animal holes the wolves may have missed.

Marlo stuck his nose to the ground. "Maya," he said quietly. "After this I'm going to have to head back for meds."

"Yeah, unless you want to die," Maya said.

"Precisely!"

Silverstorm sniffed around on the ground really takeing in the smell of the earth and the dents of the different animals. That was when she got the smell of a rabbit but there was another scent… a bigger scent: the scent of a deer. She was torn. Should she go after the rabbit something she knew she would be able to eat without being seen or go after a deer and eat last. She thought for a moment "I have the smell of a deer." She said to the other wolves. "It goes this way." She says pointing her paw to the west.

Marlo excitedly headed off towards the west, barking to form a _byrrgis_.

"Okay, let's get this hunt on the move," Maya stated, sprinting west.

Marlo yipped as they reached the top of a hill. "I see it!" he said. "It was a stray female returning to a small herd—look!"

"Get this deer over with," Maya said with a smirk. She suddenly stopped running and quieted her pace.

"No, no!" Marlo growled. "There are like four of us; why not split into two? Let's do it this way: split it into four and then two of us go for one from each forth? Then we'll have at least two kills."

"Do it your way...fine," Maya frowned but said nothing afterward.

"Me and you," he said to Maya. "And Kiran and Silverstorm."

Silverstorm ran last in the _byrrgis_ like normal but she could still smell the deer. She stopped when the leader of the small byrrgis stopped. As Marlo spoke of the heard, she got excited and ready to fight at the same time. Maya nodded, but she still watched the prey. Marlo's ear twitched, and the two groups split.

Maya stalked, using a different tactic then her arrogant way.

"Ready?" Silverstorm asked her partner Kiran as they split from the other group.

As she did so, Marlo took about three steps at a time in the shrubbery, constantly glancing at the other group.

"Ready," Kiran answered. Maya took a deep breath and concentrated. Marlo released a high-pitched yip to get them moving into attack. He and Maya would go for one group, and Kiran and Silverstorm the other.

"Good then, get ready to attack on three." Silverstorm says as she hides in the brush. "One." She starts.

Maya jumped out, no time for counts, right? She was like a bullet, slicing through the air

Marlo, surprised, raced after her. Kiran jumped after them, following their lead by cutting through he herd one way, while they the other.

"Ha!" she smirked.

Marlo skidded to a halt as he turned, running towards the half of the herd they had cut while Kiran ran around into her herd. Maya stopped, not knowing what to do. Marlo barked. "Come on!" he yelled, trying to get her to attack one.

Silverstorm ran after them. She also chased the deer herd. It was fast, but she was just as fast and maybe even faster, so she was able to catch up and attack a deer. She knew right where the killing vain lied in its body and that was exactly way she was targeting. She took a bite from the deer's neck and cut that blood vain. The deer fell, and Silverstorm waited.

"Uh...okay?" Maya uttered, running at a weak stage. She jumps and tried to tackle one but slipped.

Kiran jumped onto a buck and tried to take it down, and almost failed. Marlo left Maya for a moment and went to help Kiran with it, and at last the two got the buck down. At that, Marlo ran back through the crowd to Maya.

"Gah I scared them..." She growled, angered Marlo turned, barking. "I know I know!" She snarled

Marlo stood alone looking around as the heard moved off, and then approached the others. "That was great! I haven't hunted in a long time."

"I haven't had the worst hunt in my life since I was a pup."

Silverstorm nodded. "I got one. Who else got one?" She asked wanting to know how much meat she might get.

"Ah, come on, Maya," Marlo grunted. "You did fine."

"I didnt get one yet this gnaw wolf did! What do you expect that means? I'm lacking skill."

Marlo hushed her. "Maya," he said sternly. "You realize you're both basically gnaw wolves."

"Watch Wolf! Not Gnaw."

"Just because you have a higher rank does not make you more capable."

Silverstorm gave a wolffish grin. "Maybe it is because I was a disformality."

"Grin, grin," Maya growled.

Silverstorm gave a soft growl. "Are we going to eat or what?" She asked.

"I dunno. You can eat. I don't feel hungry," said Maya.

Silverstorm felt shocked. "You mean eat first?" She asked "I have never done that. I should feel honored but yet I feel unworthy if such a thing." That was when her stomach growled at her. She had had no food yesterday and tonight she had the chance to eat first. She was not going to pass this down so dispite her felling unworthy she ate first and ate her fill.

"Oh yeah. Gnaw wolf." Maya said.

"Maybe not forever." Silverstorm had said. "Maybe if someone would put a good word with the leader I could become a Watch wolf." She said with sigh.

Maya looked at her with a glare. "You can't just ask for it. You earn it." she said at the wolf

"I have been trying. I have been trying for four years. Usually it only takes two but I had tried to earn it for four long years. I think that he thinks that I still have no sense of smell. Now would you not say that tonight I have proved myself. " Silverstorm sighed "He just can't see that I am strong, I guess."

"Well maybe you are not strong enough," Maya whispered.

Silverstorm growled at Maya. She wanted so badly to just to challenge her to a fight but she tried to keep her calm. "What about tonight? Don't you think that if he would have seen me take down that deer tonight that I would have earned my place in the watch?" She asked frustrated and loosing her patience.

Maya looked unamused at the wolf. "Oh yes, such praise upon you."

Silverstorm took a deep breath. She heard that the wolf really did not mean what she said. "I'm sorry. It's just so frustrating." She sighed "I should head home. It is very late into the night."

"Yeah." Maya only looked at Silverstorm.


	26. Chapter 25

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything you can recognize from any book EVER. If you recongnize anything from any movie or book—anything, it isn't mine.**

Chapter 25

Silverstorm turned around and walked off. She found her way to the cave on her own that night. The real reason she wanted to leave from the hunting ground was because she was really starting to get frustrated at Maya. All Silverstorm wanted was to become a watch wolf and no longer be the lowest of the low and no longer be last for everything. That was all she wanted. To be seen by other wolves. Maybe even by a mate.

Maya looked back at Marlo and Kiran, then went to the Watch Post and did her shift.

Silverstorm sighed as she looked at the full moon of the night. It had reminded her of that first spring that she needed to hunt. It was on the night of the full moon when she had gotten the sense of smell. She lay down in her cave and fell asleep within minutes.

Kiran poked her head into Silverstorm's den. "Hello?" she asked. "You left pretty quick." she sat down beside the sleeping wolf; she did not like the way gnaw wolves were treated, so she would stay with this one for the night.

Silverstorm awoke when she heard a voice echo off her den walls "Who's there?" she asked sitting up but then she was Kiran "Oh, sorry. Yeah, sorry about that I just felt like I could take anymore of her taunting. I almost considered challenging her." she says the last sentence with a laugh.

Kiran laughed. "Don't challenge a Watch Wolf," she said. "Just ignore her if she is annoying."

"That's why I left." Silverstorm said. "I didn't want to challenge her nor be around her, so here I am." She sighed and then looked at the moon "Isn't the moon wonderful tonight?" Silverstorm said sidetracking. "It reminds me of my time away from the clan as a pup."

"My only memories are playing with friends and running," Kiran sighed. "That's all outflankers really do."

Akela had seen this play out, unseen by the younglings. Personally, he did not think the whole "gnaw wolf" thing should exist. If an outclanner could win the admiration of the clans, then why couldn't a malcadh stand among the ranks of a pack and hold it's own? Akela sighed. He trotted behind Silverstorm, downwind of course, and out of her feild of vision.

"Well you where a outflanker I was a malcadh. I was cast out as a pup but lucky for me the Obea place me in a spot she knew I would live." Silverstorm sighed once moor looking at the moon. That was when the wind changed and she got a sent. She did not turn though because she was unsure of where the sent was coming from. For having no sent as a pup Silverstorm really had a good sense of smell now.

"Being a packer isn't as good as it looks, Silverstorm," Kiran explained. "Don't keep losing faith."

She noded but the scent she had smelled worried her. She was unsure of who or what it had come from. "Thank you for your advice, Kiran. You're a great friend." The smell was really starting to worry Silverstorm now. "Kiran can you smell that?" she asked her friend but by this time the wind had stopped but Silverstorm could still smell the scent. What ever it was it was not far.

Akela trotted foreward. He stopped about 60 yards from the den where the wolves had gone. He did not know why, but deep inhis marrow he felt that these wolves were important.

Silverstorm heard a noise it was soft but her time living as a loner had thought her to hear even the smallest sound. It also helped that when she could not smell she had to rely on her ears and eyes. "Who's there?" she asked as she started to walk to the entrance.

Akela heard this, yet he remained silent.

She walked closer to the entrance and then into the light of the full moon. "Who's there?" she said again, not being able to sense that there was a wolf not far from where she stood.

Akela spoke. "I am Akela, the lone wolf."

"A Loner," Silverstorm said and shook to the wolf that had spoken. "So Akela if you are a lone wolf, what are you doing here in a clan's territory?" She asked curious as to who this wolf was and what he wanted with her.

Kiran stood. "She speaks my mind as well," she barked. "What is your business here?"

"Thank you, Kiran" Silverstorm said to her friend "I don't think that there is need to worry, though. He is a loner." She did not know why she was saying these words; she had been raised by a loner and yet she was doubting the power of a loner who by the looks of him may be older than she. She did not know why she was doing this. It may have just been the stress from the day. Everything combined into those words of her doubt of the lone wolves power and strength or perhaps it was just her wanting to become a watch wolf so badly that she would do anything. Whatever it truly was she did not like it.

"Loners can be worse than you think," Kiran whispered. "Don't underestimate them."

Akela looked into their eyes. "Does the name Akela mean nothing to you? Learn your history. In times past I earned the respect of your forfathers. You would do well to follow their example."

Kiran felt slightly ridiculous, but she nodded in a respectful manner and gave a small sign of submission. "Sorry I did not give you my submission, then," she said.

Akela growled. "I did not ask for submission pup!"

Kiran straightened up again. "Submission does not plead for anger, either," she barked firmly. "Now forgive me if I am being snappy, but when someone pays you honor, you do not slam them." She looked at him sternly before she calmed a little, sighing. "I do suppose that was a little pushy..." she muttered casually.

"I do not appreciate submission," said Akela.

Kiran grinned. "Well what about dominance?" she asked. "I've been proved really good at that... plus being aggressive."

Akela spoke now to both of the wolvesin front of him, "Look well, O wolves! Look well! What you see before you is one that defeated every wolf the clans threw at him. Before you is not a wolf that has ever been defeated. I do not appreciate submission, but I have never tolerated dominance."

Kiran looked confused. "Why is it you remain without a clan?"

Akela looked at Kiran. "I have never desired to join the ranks of a clan, and still don't."

"I see," she said quietly. "I guess it was a stupid question to ask. I sometimes wish I were on my own too. But still, I think you should accept others."

Akela snorted. "Few of the clans remember the day when I defeated their champions. Even fewer remember when they invited me to join them."

"Not to be rude..." Kiran began, but realized she had been rude in nearly everything she had said so far, "but don't you think that life could be easier and much more enjoyable if you befriended those you hate instead of beating them all up?"

"You pretend to know me..." replied Akela, "…yet you do not"

"I don't pretend anything," Kiran growled. "I'm just stating simple facts: befriend is better than hating."

Marlo awoke pleasantly the next morning. "Jiranasas!"

"Huh?" Marlo asked, looking up.

"I was speaking in my awesome unknown language!" peeped a voice.

Marlo grinned. "As usual," he groaned.

o~O~o

"I am sorry that I snapped at you Akela; it has been a very stressful day for me." Silverstorm sighed as she spoke. "I really did not doubt your power… I knew you had it. I was even raised by a lone wolf. I am very sorry if I offended you in my anger." She said kindly to the wolf.

Kiran stood. "I'll be heading back to the watch," she whispered, turning to leave.

Silverstorm nodded. She was too curious by the lone wolf to travel to the watch again. This was one of the times she was grateful that she was a gnaw wolf and not a watch wolf. "So what is the reason you came here if you do not want to join us?" She asked the loner. She wanted to know what he had to do with her and her past because she felt a strange connection to this wolf.

o~O~o

Maya smirked at Marlo. "Not Old Wolf, though."

o~O~o

Akela looked at Silverstorm. "My instincts told me you were important, and I usually trust my instincts."

She nodded not knowing what she would be important to. "Did they tell you why or for what I was important to?" She asked; she just needed to know. She was raised as a lone wolf with no sense of smell. What kind of important wolf was born and raised like that?

Kiran interrupted. "What do your instincts tell about me?" she asked mockingly, poking her head back into the den.

Akela looked at them. "You wish to become a wolf of the Watch of the Scared Volcanoes, correct?" He said, turning to Silverstorm.

"Yes," Silverstorm said. "Is that not what all gnaw wolves want?" she asked. "To no longer be a gnaw wolf?" a sigh escapes her muzzle.

"Yes!" some random wolf shouted.

Silverstorm tensed when she heard the voice. "Who's there?" She asked to the voice.

A small pup appeared with a smile on her face and yelled "Me, Raine!" She was so happy because she thought it was Maya, who she thought of as a mother, but it was not. Sadly, it was only Silverstorm. Her smile fell and she looked saddened.

"Hello Ranie." Silverstorm said. "Are you looking for Maya?" She gave a small smile.

"Yes! But...who are you?" she gave the she-wolf a slightly uncertain look.

"This is Silverstorm," Kiran explained. "Raine, why did you run off from Maya? She's probably worried sick; Marlo told me all about you before I left to come back here." She sighed. "You'll stay here with us until I decide to head back to the Ring." The she-wolf glared back at Akela. "You never answered my question, Akela. What do your 'O so powerful' instincts say about me?"

Raine sighed but tilted her head. "I may be a pup, but I sense something really wrong here."

Silverstorm felt cold. When a wolf pup could sense something and she could not it worried her. "What do you mean something's wrong?"

"Nothing!" Raine quickly uttered.

"Where is Maya?" Kiran asked Raine.

"Uh um...I think with _Papa_."

"Your father?"

"Yes! Marmar!"

"Oooh," Kiran sighed. "Marlo isn't your father, Raine."

"Aw...but...he funny," she mumbled.

"He can be funny and take care of you, but he isn't your father," Kiran said. "At least, not yet."

Raine's eyes widened. "Yet? Aw..."

"No, not yet," Kiran looked back up at the two other wolves in the den. "Will you excuse me gnaw wolf and 'wolf who is all powerful'; I have to take Raine back to the Watch."

"Let's go wolfback riding!"

Kiran nudged Raine out of the den and began to head north east.

"Woffie...WOF" Raine whispered to herself.

"You sure do talk to yourself a lot, Raine," said Kiran.

"Yeah...being antisocial makes you tired! And I don't wanna get tired!"

"You can go to sleep when we get to the Ring." Kiran soothed.

"No, you barrel!"

"Barrel?"

"Yeah...some wolf named Barrel...he's mean."

"That's nice," Kiran laughed. "Now where were you while your 'papa' was sick?"

"With Barrel."

"Who is Barrel? How do you know him?"

"He just arrived," Raine said innocently.

"Who arrived where? You aren't making sense, dear."

Raine rolled her eyes. "Barrel came to me when Sea wasn't looking and I wondered off with him but then we got separated by the forest."

"Oh," Kiran nodded. "How did you know where to find us?"

"Followed the trail back and then...followed the scent?"

"Ah," Kiran answered. She continued quickly with Raine on her heels until they approached the Ring.

"Papa, mama. Where are you?"

Marlo looked down. "Raine! There you are!"

"Heyo!"

Marlo jumped from his cairn to meet her.


	27. Chapter 26

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything you can recognize from any book EVER. If you recongnize anything from any movie or book—anything, it isn't mine.**

Chapter 26

Silverstorm noded to Kiran as she left. "You never did tell me why I am important." Silverstorms said to the loner.

o~O~o

Maya carefully slid down to meet Raine. Marlo nuzzled her. "Maya," he said. "I need to go back and visit my family."

"Sure. As long as that Silverstorm isn't there."

o~O~o

Akela ignored Silverstorm's question. "And tell me, what qualifies a wolf for the watch?"

Silverstorm growled "Being strong of course. I have not been chosen because the leader does not see me as strong."

o~O~o

Marlo, Maya, Raine, and Kiran appeared at the MacAngus territory, looking around curiously, and Raine yawned.

Mirlo caught sight of then and ran. "Marlo!" he yipped. "You're finally home! And you brought Maya and the pup!"

"We've been running around confused for the last while," Kiran said, nuzzling Mirlo.

"Hi Mirlo," Maya said

"Hey Maya," Mirlo answered her. "Come in and make yourselves comfortable; Wolves of the Watch!" He bounded off to show them a spare den.

"Okay..." Maya replied, she looked down at Raine, whose eyes were about closed.

As they entered the den with the exhausted pup, Marlo turned to Mirlo, and for one moment the shared a small glance of friendship. But Marlo tore away, heading in with Maya. He had yet to forgive Mirlo for not standing up for him when Aldwyn had turned against him.

"Are you okay, Marlo?" Maya asked silently, trying not to talk much.

"Fine," he answered gruffly. "Its harder than I thought to come back here... the only memories I have are of grief. The knowledge that this was where my mother fled from for safety." he looked to the light of the den's exit. "That my father would have allowed my death... his heir."

She looked with pity at Marlo. "But it's just part of the Chian...I know it hurts but..."

"But my mom was brave enough to save me," he sighed. "I am grateful for that. Only I will not go near that _raghnaid_ cave... not again." Maya stayed silent. She nodded. "At least I won't talk to my da right away," he smiled. "I think he's not present here. Maybe at another pack."

"Wait...your father is alive?"

Marlo looked surprised. "Yes, of course he is."

"You were talking about...nevermind," Maya shook her head.

Marlo sighed and sat down. "Hate to break it to you, Maya, but I think Silverstorm is here."

Maya frowned. "What..."

"Don't be that angry," Marlo laughed. "You and I were angry at each other when we first met, but now..."

"But now we're only happy lovebi-? Uh...eh? I was uh...Raine!"

"You were Raine?" Marlo laughed.

"Yes! Now we are all rain," Maya yipped.

Raine looked at her and Marlo. "Shut up! I wanna sleep."

Marlo frowned at Maya, not quite understand her point. Then he looked at Raine. "Don't talk to people that way," he yipped.

Raine whimpered and laid down, ears flat.

Marlo nuzzled her. "It's okay, Raine." he said. "Just remember to be nice all of the time."

"Well...you could at least tell Mama that," she muttered.

Marlo turned to Maya with a scolding look, "Be nice, Maya," he growled.

"What! I didn't even say anything," whined Maya

Marlo nuzzled her. "A joke!" he barked.

Maya laughed. "A joke is much more like...curiosity killed the cat. Oh wait...that was gruesome...ew..."

Marlo laughed again.

"Here! Instead...Stupidity killed the Cougar, not Curiosity. There! That feels much better"

"Sure..." Marlo said, sighing. "Well, I'm going to get some more fresh air..." he cleared his throat. "...want to come?"

"Sure. Raine, no wondering off again. Me and Marlo will be going out...that sounded a bit strange but, oh well."

He smiled and then stepped out of the den. "I think there's a stream around here; we can go there for refreshment," he suggested.

"Okay!" Maya answered, padding out.

When they reached the river, Marlo sat but could not help but look down at his splayed paw.

"Whatcha lookin' at?" Maya yelped, jumping up and peeking from his side.

Marlo put his paw down. "Just my paw," he said.

"Well...they are paws...not really interesting."

"Mine is worse than interesting," he muttered.

"Well...splayed paws are actually interesting. I think at least...even though I have them...they are interesting."

Marlo looked down at his paw and took a deep breath, closing his eyes. "You have a strange way of understanding me, Maya," he whispered.

Maya lifted an eyebrow. "How would you see me as, then?" she asked Marlo.

He looked at her, and then turned to place his splayed paw under one of her paws, and his regular paw over her other. "More than a friend," he said.

"A bestie?" she tilted her head at Marlo.

"As... well..." Marlo looked her in the eye with his one working eye. "The one I'd spend the rest of my life with." He continued with little hesitance. "Will you, Maya, take me as your paw-fast mate?"

Maya froze. "Uh-...y-y...YES!" she yipped.

"I, Marlo, take you forever and ever as my marrow mate beyond the Beyond, and when the time comes, unto death," he said.

"I, Maya, take you forever and ever as my marrow mate beyond the Beyond, and when the time comes, unto death!" she said.

Marlo muzzled her. "Shall Raine be our daughter?" he asked quietly.

"Yes. Yes Marlo-chan." she randomly added on the other part.

"Marlo-chan?" he asked in a laugh. Then he sighed as if relieved. "For a moment I though you would say no... I mean... I though you would want to go to Falkor."

Maya moved one paw back and lifted an eyebrow at Marlo. "I barely knew the guy...I knew you since I was young!"

He smiled, "I know... I was just nervous."

"Nervous...I still think you were green."

Marlo leaned forward again and licked her nose. "I kind of thought it wrong to hide love," he mumbled. "But now there is no hiding it."

Maya smirked and looked into his eye. "No sense, right?"

"Nope," Marlo said. "Now should we get back to dealing with Raine, Silverstorm, and Akela?"

"Sure," Maya said, sighing after hearing Silverstorm.

"What's so bad about her?" he barked. "I mean, she has a lot of self pity, but there's not reason to hate her so much."

"Let's just go" she said.

Marlo headed off back towards their den.

Maya skidded into the den to see Raine asleep. "Ah...she looks like a fuzball curled up like that."

Marlo eyed Maya with a surprised way and turned her aside. "Maya," he said worriedly. "We have to keep our paw-fastness a secret." he explained. "Watch Wolves aren't allowed to get paw-fast."

Maya froze up again. Then, she turned to Marlo. "What do you mean they aren't allowed to get paw-fast?!" she shouted.

Marlo hushed her. "I don't know, Maya," he whispered. "We won't tell anyone... maybe Shadow, if he ever turns up again." Marlo's voice drifted off as he recalled the last time Shadow saw them: he had attacked Marlo and then run off... then he had never returned.

"What happened...to Shadow?" Maya asked quietly.

"I don't know," Marlo whispered.

"Should we go look for him?"

"I don't know... I want to," Marlo sighed.

"I think I like our adventures, Marmar," Maya said suddenly.

He nuzzled her. "Me too," he said. "Now let's get some rest," he suggested.

"Okay," Maya nuzzled Marlo back and then laid down by Raine, who snuggled up against her.

Marlo snuggled up beside Maya and then drifted off into a deep and peaceful slumber. Maya and the rest were finally peacefully asleep. Still, their futures were beginning to change and alter.

It was nearly dawn when Marlo awoke. He could hear Mirlo and Kiran outside of the den making plans for the day; talking about how much fun they would have together and how much they loved each other. Marlo had never really told Maya how much he had loved her; at least not as much as Mirlo and Kiran did. He finally sat up and nudged Maya awake. "Sleep well?" he asked her with a smile. "I never even dreamed... not to my memory, at least."

"You never dream? Man, you have lots to learn from me on how to dream." Maya said to him with a smile. "Dreaming is an amazing thing," she explained.

"I mean last night I did not dream," Marlo sighed. "I've had plenty of dreams before. Most of which I will not dare retell."

"Ooh. Well, sorry for taking it the wrong way, Mar. But...have you ever had a funny dream before instead of the ones you _dare to retell_," Maya spoke in a deep voice as she said 'dare to retell'. She loved being childish.

Marlo laughed but continued. "I had a dream that you and I had to rescue Kia. And then we fell of a cliff and died."

"You...are...super..._random_! But I am still the Queen of Random." Maya teased.

Marlo stood and stretched, and then leaned down to lick Raine's little head. Her ear twitched and she slowly opened her eyes.

"How are you, Raine?" Marlo whispered kindly.

"Tired," she yawned. Marlo smiled and nuzzled her again. "Daddy, no nuzzle. Or meet my muzzle!" She bared her fangs playfully.

He wrapped his jaws around her back and lifted her up onto her paws, nipping back at her. She stuck her tongue out and closed her eyes, her ears folded back. Marlo laughed at fell onto his back, pawing at her with playful yips.

She tilted her head. "Let's go outside and play!" she yelped, nagging at Marlo and then Maya. He jumped after her barking and trying to pull her down to tackle.

"Marlo...she could use a play with other pups, you know" Maya whispered. "Even as childish as we are..."

Marlo nodded as he got back up. "I don't know where we will find other pups who could play with her. Besides, she thinks everyone besides us is boring."

Raine nodded harshly, then ran outside. She looked at the other pups who were just learning how to talk and shuddered. "No! Ew!" she yipped.

Marlo set a paw on her back. "Come on, Raine," he encouraged. "You'll have tons of fun. Just try for Mar-Mar."

Raine scrunched her face but sighed. "Fine..." she started to walk to a bunch of other wolf pups. They were a group of three boy pups. They all looked mean and well—Raine didn't like the looks of these wolf pups at all.

Marlo sat beside Maya and watched as Raine approached the other pups.

"Think it'll go well?" she asked Marlo softly.

"We're talking about Raine," Marlo answered. "There's no telling what could happen."

"Yeah...she's a bit...curious?"

"Very," Marlo laughed.

Raine walked up to the biggest of the wolf pups. They were silenced of their chatter. "Uh um...hello," she said shyly. It was still at first, then they burst with laughter for no reason.

"Shut up!" Marlo yelled, and then became quiet and calm again. "Keep playing, pups."

"Uh. Hey...who's that guy?" the biggest asked Raine.

"That's my Papa" she answered, but the pup frowned.

"Isnt he one of the Watch Wolves?"

Marlo's expression became confused, but he continued to observe.

"Psst...what? Why would my father be a Watch wolf? And how would you know if he was?" Raine said in a very squeaky voice.

"Well...that she-wolf I have heard my mother talk about, and I have heard them talk about that father of yours..."

Marlo barked. "You pups don't look as if you're playing!" he growled fiercely, hoping to intimidate them enough to respect Raine.

Raine glared back. _Dad...that is not helping...at...all!_ "Well anyway..."

Marlo remained silent at Raine's glare.

"Could I play with you guys?" she asked them.

"Sure. How about tackle?" one of them asked.

Marlo grinned. She's good at this.

Raine nodded. She started off first and they all actually had a fun time, before they got beat by Raine. The largest of them was really happy and called it a good game, while his friends frowned and budged off.

"Good fight, Raine," Marlo yipped.

"It was fun!" he and Raine said at the same time.

Marlo nuzzled her. "What do you say we head home?" he asked.

Raine looked over at Sky, the pup she had played with. "One more minute alone with Sky? Please?" she begged Marlo and Maya.

"Sure," Marlo nudged her off.

The two pups started in another round of tackle and had very much fun. Marlo took a worried glance at the sky: the blue was disappearing behind a curtain of dark clouds that promised rain. Maya nuzzled his neck. "I guess we could go get her now," she whispered to Marlo.

Marlo nodded and stood to go to Raine. "Time to go, Raine," he said.

Sky looked at Raine and licked her on the nose before running off to his home, where his mother and father awaited. Raine walked up to Marlo.

"Found a friend?" Marlo asked. "Tell you what, Raine: I'll bring you here ofted so you two can play."

Raine jumped up excitedly, her tail wagging. "Perfect!" she yelled, she nuzzled her papa and then ran to the den.

Marlo looked around until he spotted Mirlo and Kiran. "We're going to head home," he told them. "It's been... enjoyable to come back home."

"I'll miss you, Marlo," Mirlo yipped.

Marlo gave a fake smile. "We both know you won't," he said, turning back towards Maya.

"Huh? Won't miss us? How rude!" Maya playfully scoffed.

Marlo rolled his eyes. "Mirlo will never miss me," he grumbled.

Maya looked at Mirlo, then Marlo. "I'm sure he will! He missed you as you started to die! Why do you think he came when you were that sick? He loved you. He missed you," she said.

"Trust me," Marlo said. "Mirlo is excited about being chieftain. He knows once I die there is nothing from holding him back; no guilt."

"Okay. Time to stop being childish. Why would he have come, then? I have to argue with that statement. It is wrong, he would miss you. And who would care about being Chieftain? It's a stupid ranking anyway."

"First off, my dad is a chieftain," Marlo said. "Second of all, I'm supposed to be a chieftain."

"Oh yeah...never...mind...that..." Maya whimpered. _Darn that, Maya! You gotta stop thinking he's some normal wolf!_ She thought.

Marlo yipped for Raine, and then turned towards the Ring. "I've had plenty of days off from work," he said to himself, beginning to trot onward.

"Okay...bye Mirlo, Kiran," Maya said before leaving with Marlo and Raine.

"Bye!" Kiran called back. In the mean time, she and Mirlo would be watching over Silverstorm and the Loner.

Raine fell back with Maya and yawned. Marlo looked back at her and stopped for her to catch up. Maya picked Raine up in her mouth and trotted quickly ahead before putting her down.

"What makes you so tired, Raine?" Marlo asked.

"Walking...and playing" she yawned, and Maya rolled her eyes. "Of course walking," she said to Raine.

"You can get a good long sleep at dusk when we get to the Watch," Marlo yipped.

"Yeah, yeah," sighed Raine. She started walking but stopped. Her ears twitched. She could catch a faint smell of a bad stench. Then, two figures stalked them.

"Who is there?" Marlo asked, jumping up to Raine. He could not see much with only one eye.

Maya growled. "Snake…" she grumbled. Marlo put a paw onto Raine and pulled her back a little.

"Oooh. Well hello, sister. What is this you have?" Snake asked Maya, he stepped out from his hiding place.


	28. Chapter 27

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything you can recognize from any book EVER. If you recongnize anything from any movie or book—anything, it isn't mine.**

Chapter 27

Marlo backed up, pushing Maya and Raine behind him. His eye was wide and his pants loud: he could not lose Maya like he almost had. "What is it you want?" he growled.

Snake glared at Marlo. "Who do you think I want? The pup!" he snarled loudly.

Marlo snarled. "You aren't going anywhere with her!" he yelled.

"Jay, come out. We have a job."

Marlo backed into his family even further. "Maya," he whispered. "Maya, get Raine and run back to my brother."

Maya grabbed Raine, just as Marlo had said, and had started running off. Snake, though, had run after them, leaving Jay with Marlo.

Marlo reached out to slash at Snake as he passed, but missed and fell. He scrambled back up as quick as he could, his one working eye darting around for any sign of aggression from Jay.

"You'll never outrun my power, Maya! Just give the pup up already!" Snake shouted.

Kiran sighed as Mirlo walked away towards his den, leaving her alone. _I want to go with them to the Ring,_ she thought, standing.

Maya ran and ran until she finally entered the MacAngus territory. She put Raine down and cried out "It's the mouth-foaming disease!"

Kiran jumped up at the sight of Maya and ran to her. "Foaming mouth disease? Where?" she asked frantically.

"Following me! He-he-...!" Maya felt a rush of wind as something jumped over her: Snake. He was growling, the foam dripping from his mouth.

Kiran yelped and jumped onto Snake, pushing him off of her and trying to tackle him. He snarled and grunted. "Do you really want me to bite you and kill you off, Deary?"

Kiran's eyes widened as she saw his foaming mouth and jumped off of him with a scream. "Maya," she said quickly. "Go, get out of here; I'll fight him off!"

"No!" Maya growled. Raine yelped. She started to run back.

Kiran barked. "Go to Mirlo; he'll know what to do." Raine started to run for Mirlo, but Maya stood like stone.

Kiran stared Snake in the eyes, trying to draw his attentions. "Oh yes. What is it you want? A bite? I'll sure give it to you, Kiran!" he barked.

"Give it to me!" Kiran taunted. She did not fear him; he did not look young and she would outrun him easily. "Come and get me!" He smiled, baring his ugly crooked teeth. Kiran jumped off and ran slowly for him to catch up. Snake started to run off, following Kiran.

She began to sprint, swerving about and barking furiously. "I know you're desperate for me!" she called. "But you'll never have me!"

"Oh I shall...I—!" he stopped like stone.

Kiran stopped and looked back. "Too slow!" she yipped like a pup.

Snake closed his eyes. _No...too foolish, this diseased mind of mine has got me off track. Raine. I need Raine..._he thought.

Kiran took a chance and ran towards Snake. "You scared?" she taunted.

Snake's ears had gone deaf. He could not hear a thing. He turned around and spotted Maya.

"Hey!" Kiran reached forward and slashed his shoulder, desperate to get his gaze from Maya.

Snake felt pain, and he glared back at Kiran. Then, he pounced onto her.

She kept herself away from his mouth as best she could, but at last struck forward onto his neck, out of his mouth-attack zone, digging for his artery.

Snake's eyes widened. "Jay!" he screamed out.

Maya could not believe what her body was doing. She was running and just...tackled Snake out of Kiran's own force.

Kiran threw herself back and panted like she never had before; fighting had usually not been her specialty, and she could not believe her sort-of-success.

"You...you cant kill him" Maya said, her own mouth had betrayed her!

Kiran stood up, panting and nodding. "Sorry," she panted. "I was wrong. Just going crazy, Maya. I do that sometimes... I felt I had to kill him." she stepped up closer to Maya.

Maya backed off Snake. Already wounded as he was, he only laid there, heaving.

Kiran moved away, hoping Maya would come with her. Just then Marlo jumped in covered in his blood and Jay's, panting like crazy. Jay toppled onto him, and the two were stuck clawing and biting.

"Just...Jay, we need him killed," Maya growled. She looked at Kiran.

Kiran looked disgusted. "Maya!" she yelped. "Why is Snake more important than Jay? You don't kill one and then not another!"

"Besides!" Marlo yelled, trying not to be killed. "Audren is our friend, and Jay is her husband!"

Maya hesitated. "Fine. But..." she shook her head.

Marlo finally got a hold of Jay and slammed his head with his splayed paw, knocking him senseless. "Whoa..." Marlo panted, staggering about. "That was... that was difficult..."

"They have been getting more powerful," Maya sighed.

"Yeah, I noticed," Marlo panted. "At least they didn't push us to Old Cags this time." He looked around. "Maya..." he growled. "Where is Raine?"

Maya paused. "I don't know. I think with Mirlo."

Marlo sighed. "Good," he said. "Now what do we do with them?"

"Well obviously we can't kill any of them. We...trap them!" Maya said.

"Keep them somewhere they can't get out," Marlo looked at Snake suspiciously. "Is he awake?"

"Unconscious."

Kiran smiled.

"What?" Maya asked Kiran,

"Nothing," Kiran said. "I'll go get Raine."

Maya gave a nod as Kiran bounded off into the trees.

Fire was waiting for his master, a pup at mouth.

Kiran ran towards where Mirlo was, but instead of finding him watching over Raine, he found his lying unconscious and Fire standing with Raine. "Who are you?" Kiran yelled. "Release the pup, now!"

Fire smiled with Raine in his mouth, but had not spoken. Suddenly, another wolf appeared.

Kiran growled. "Let the pup go, and your life will be spared," she barked, and then realized the other wolf.

"Hm. How? My life is already in debt to the Dark World," Audren sighed.

Kiran looked over towards Audren. "Audren, what are you doing here?" she yelped. "At the Ring—you were changed!"

Audren gave a glare of evil.

Kiran felt tears welling in her eyes. "No!" she cried. "You couldn't have..." she growled and then jumped wildly onto Audren. "You betrayed us! You betrayed us!" she yelled, fangs tearing.

"I am...evil," Audren sighed.

Kiran continued to growl and bite at her.

"It wont help. I am terribly sorry, but I have to do it," Audren said in an emotionless tone.

Kiran stopped and barked. "No you don't!" she yelled.

Audren shook her head and looked at Fire. He dropped Raine, who had a gash near her stomach.

"Raine!" Kiran jumped to Raine, licking her.

Fire put a paw on Raine and snarled at Kiran.

Kiran jumped up and growled. "Get away from her!" she yelled, hearing Marlo approach from behind.

"Raine," he whispered.

Raine whimpered. Her body hurt all over. "Pa...ack...pa…" she uttered limply as she saw Marlo.

Fire jumped at Kiran and took a bite at her neck. Audren had grabbed Raine and started off away to her Master's Hideout.

Marlo raced off towards Audren, running as fast as his weak and bloody legs would take him.

Kiran, however, fought her hardest, wrapping her jaws around Fire's neck when she had the chance, but she never held them there for long enough.

Chanoa watched as the wolf made off with the pup, but something about her speed didn't sit right with him so he decided to follow her

Marlo almost ran into the gnaw wolf, tripped up a little, and continued to race for Audren as fast as he could. _Who is that?_ He wondered softly about Chanoa.

Chanoa nearly tripped himself as the wolf streaked past, now it made sense to him the pup was kidnapped and he took off after both of them

Marlo finally tripped over a rock and tumbled to a stop, dazed as he stared up at the pale sky. He knew he could regain full consciousness, but alas, a soft rain began to fall and set him into a mollifying sleep.

Chanoah watched from behind as the wolf tripped over the rock; he wanted to stop and see if the wolf was alright, but he knew he had to save the pup as well so he jumped over the wolf and began to run faster.

The gnaw wolf's jump slightly startled Marlo, and he opened his eyes to see the pale sky. _Raine,_ he thought, pulling himself back up.

Marlo continued to run, though he could not feel his legs. The rain stung his eyes and he could not think, and when he knew he could beat his pain, his face began to throb and he ran right into a tree. _My meds! _He thought.

Audren then finally disappeared out of sight.

Marlo could feel his fur heavy with water, but he remembered little. He stood and opened his eye, but saw no sign of anything that could help. He had failed. "Lo," he whispered. "Whoa is me, my enemy flees, and here I stand..." he looked up. "And the rain has become my bane."

Maya could not find anyone. She could not even find Marlo's scent! Kiran knew she had finally knocked Fire senseless, but she could not longer think. She toppled to the ground, and remembered no more.

Beside her, Mirlo awoke from the rain and shook his head. "Raine? Raine!" he called, but caught sight of Kiran. He knew what had happened: Raine was gone, and Kiran had fought for her. "Kiran," Mirlo licked her forehad, but only tasted her blood. "I'll take care of you, Kiran." He looked up. "Marlo! Marlo, where are you? Maya?"

"M-Marlo?" Maya mistook Mirlo's voice.

"Maya!" Mirlo ran forward and nuzzled her. "Thank goodness you're okay. Do you know where Raine is? Or Marlo?" Maya felt awkward Mirlo had nuzzled her but shook her head. Mirlo nodded and then bounded off to try to get Marlo's scent. "All of this rain is washing the scents away!" he cried. "Marlo! Marlo?"

"Marlo!" Maya cried desperately.

The weary watch wolf blinked and then tried to stand, but he could not.

"Marlo," Maya uttered, tears filling up her eyes. Why had she felt so alone?

"Maya?" Marlo groaned, his eyes closing again.

Maya looked around, she felt panicked. She searched until she found Marlo. "Marlo..." she felt bad.

"Maya?" he opened both of his eyes to see her, but he saw nothing through his right eye, and it felt infected.

"D-don't die" Maya cried, nuzzling Marlo.

He smiled. "I'll try," he said, trying to get up. He collapsed while trying to stand on his good forepaw; Jay had almost destroyed it.

Maya could not hold her emotions in anymore. The fears flowed. She was scared and sad. Mirlo ran up, but stopped at the sight of Maya in tears.

Marlo shut his eyes, but reopened them after taking a breath. "Maya," he said quietly. "I'll be fine. Mirlo will go back and get some wolves to take me back and take care of me... we're going to be alright."

"Just...don't end up...like Shade."

Marlo opened his mouth to speak, but his gaze drifted to nothingness and he ceased to support himself in any way. His eyelids finally slid back down and he remained still. "Maya," Mirlo barked. "Stay here with him, and I'll get help. He's dying—again!"

The night had been a peaceful sleep for Silverstorm for she had no other intruders that night. She awoke to an empty cave. She sighed at the sight. Even though she knew she had not become a watch wolf over night she wished she had. All she really wanted in life was to be accepted by the wolves around her and maybe be loved by a male. She stepped into the morning light. "I should go look for Kiran." she told herself, and so she headed off to Kiran's Cave.

"No...don't..." Maya whimpered to Marlo. "Please...just enough..."

Mirlo ran into Silverstorm. "There you are!" he said. "Go until you find Marlo and Maya—hurry!"

Maya nuzzled Marlo. "No more deaths, I beg of you Lupus...no more deaths," she pleaded quietly.

Marlo could hear her just as clear as if he were dozing, but he seemed to become more clouded at the name 'Lupus.' What was it he did not like about that spirit? Is he even real?_ Should he be what I believe in my last breaths... or is there Someone else?_ He groaned, his splayed paw reaching to touch Maya.

"Marlo...?"

She burst into a run when she heard what her friend said. She didn't know what was wrong but she knew something was by the way Mirlo spoke. She ran a few miles before she say Maya. "What happened?" She asked as she neared her and a laying down Marlo.

"He's dying...all because of me..."

o~O~o

Chanoa continued chasing Audren; his muscles tired but he pushed on, he didn't know this pup or it's parents but he knew he must bring it back to them. As Audren came into view he began gradually picking up speed until he came up to her side and rammed his head into her flank in an attempt to knock her off balance.

Audren growled and ran. Again, disappearing into the rain and woods

o~O~o

Silverstorm felt conflicted. Maya was never really a friend to her but in this moment of grief she felt bad for the watch wolf. "What can I do to help Maya?" Silverstorm asked Maya.

"We cant do anything..." She replied, the helpless tone noticeable now.

o~O~o

As the wolf vanished through the woods he lost site of her and the rain slowly washed away her sent. Suddenly his paw slipped on the mud and he tumbled. He growled at himself for losing her; nothing could be done, for the rain had washed away any hopes of finding her again, so he turned back. As he began to walk forward he could not help but look back at what he had lost.

o~O~o

Silverstorm sighed. "Maya, I'm so sorry. I know you never meant for this to happen." She felt uncomfortable but yet she wanted to comfort Maya. "I meant, what can I do for you?" She says kindly to the wolf who was slowly becoming a friend.

Maya's ear twitched. Another wolf was here, but she did not care. She only cared about her mate, Marlo.

Silverstorm looked at Maya. She could see that Maya had felt something other than a friendship to Marlo. "What happened?" Silverstorm asked "What happened that lead to this?"

Maya felt angry now. "I don't know. Just leave me alone!" She suddenly shouted at Silverstorm, baring her large and sharp fangs.

"Maya?" Kiran asked, appearing from almost nowhere. She had just woken up, and had gone to search for them.

"Back away!" she snarled.

Silverstorm backed up quickly but did not get angry. She knew that this reaction from Maya was only because she was upset. "I'm sorry. I will let you too alone for a moment." Silverstorm said.

Maya did not answer, only looked down on Marlo.

Kiran stepped back. She could hear Marlo speaking to himself, but could not tell what he said. "I take you forever and ever," he whispered.

Mirlo ran to them. "I have help!" he said.

"... as my marrow mate..."

A few wolves crawled around Marlo and tried to get him up and push him to their dens.

"...beyond the beyond..."

"Into this den!" Mirlo showed them.

"...And when the time comes..."

Mirlo let them set Marlo down gently, and then nudged his hear.

"...Unto _death_." Marlo finished.


	29. Chapter 28

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything you can recognize from any book EVER. If you recongnize anything from any movie or book—anything, it isn't mine.**

Chapter 28

Silverstorm turned to Kiran "We should leave her," she said to her friend. She started to walk and indicated Kiran to follow.

Maya knew.

Kiran looked at Maya and then to Silverstorm. "Silverstorm," she said. "I think the worst thing we could do is leave Maya to be angry and sad."

"But would you really want to see me angry?" Maya asked.

Kiran yelped. "Marlo's going to be okay!" she said.

Silverstorm nodded "You are right." That was when the words that Marlo was muttering hit Silverstorm, "Kiran did you hear the words?" she asked her friend.

"How would you know...everything one loves dies. That is how it ends. Always," Said Maya.

"I heard what he said," Kiran said sadly. "I feel so terrible that he was thinking of Maya as he died... you realize, Maya, this means Marlo really does love you, unto death."

Maya growled. "It always...happens to me. First Shade, and now Marlo..."

Silverstorm turned to Maya "I know death, Maya. I almost lived it once. I also watched the wolf who became not only my Milk Giver but my mother as a pup killed right before my eyes. I know death. I know loss. All hope is not gone yet." she said to the wolf who had seemed to given up hope but, somehow Silverstorm knew those words that Marlo was muttering meant something to Maya.

"Instead of sitting here and pouting," Kiran said. "I'm going to get Marlo's medicine before he dies." She headed off towards the Watch.

"But you are wrong, Storm. You're death was only of family. Not of your Mate. Not Marlo...not who I loved!"

Kiran stopped. "Your mate?" she asked, turning.

"Yes. Mate."

Kiran turned around. "Maya," she said. "You know the rule: Watch Wolves don't have mates."

Silverstorm noded to the grieving wolf. "I am sorry. I wish there was something I could do but we must remember this. Death happens to all one day. It will happen to all of us. He was a noble wolf Maya." Silverstorm says quietly. "Tonight we will give him the proper send off tonight when the great wolf constellation rises into the sky." That was when Silverstorm turned to Kiran. "Let it go Kiran. She just couldn't wait until they where no longer watch wolves."

"I don't care about rules. They're pathetic. Useless to this world of monsters," she growled.

Kiran frowned. _Marlo won't die... I'm going to make sure of it,_ she thought.

Maya sighed.

Kiran turned back to the Watch with a confused expression. _Mate...?_ She thought, walking off. _They will surely be banished!_

_I hope I can trust Kiran... _Maya thought.

Silverstorm also sighed. She knew that Maya was felling the most loss for Marlo. She was felling it more than any of Silverstorm's other friends. She wanted to howl or pray to the Great Wolf to spare Marlo. She raised her head but then looked to Maya. "Let us pray to the Great Wolf to spare him." Silverstorm said to her.

o~O~o

Chanoah felt ashamed that he had lost the wolf and thought about heading back to the territory of the MacDuffs, to run, to hide, not to feel the wrath of these unknown wolves, and another thought crossed his mind: _What if I don't? What sorrow would I be bringing to the wolves?_ So, remembering the den where he last saw the wolves, he bolted running to tell the wolves the grave news.

o~O~o

"Or to someone more different." Maya said.

"To who then?" Silverstorm asked.

"Nobody. Do not pray for anything. They are only useless."

Silverstorm nodded but in her mind she was praying already, "Oh please Great Wolf." she was praying "Please spare my friend. Please spare Maya's mate. Please spare Marlo." She had repeated the, "Please spare Marlo" line many times. It was still early in the morning but she knew that she could somehow sense the Great Wolf constellation as it made it's way across the night sky on the other side of the earth.

Kiran arrived at the Watch, and rushed into Marlo's den for his medicine. "Where? Where?" she looked frantically, but at last found the jar. She grabbed it with her jaws and then ran out, running right into the Fengo. She set the jar down, panting, "Hi," she smiled.

"Kiran the Outclanner," the Fengo grinned. "I didn't expect to see you here." He stopped her as she began to go again. "What's the rush?" he asked. "You seem to be troubled. Tell me what is wrong, Kiran."

She turned, set the jar down again, and sighed. "Fengo..." she sighed. "I just... its just that Marlo and Maya..."

Fengo frowned. He knew that they loved each other. "Yes...?"

"They are in lo-... they are paw-..." she closed her eyes. "They are in grave danger, Fengo. I have to hurry and bring Marlo his medicine."

Fengo nodded. "Well, be on your way," he said.

Kiran finally returned to MacAngus territory. She walked in to Marlo, who was still unconscious. "Is he okay?" she asked, setting the jar down. Mirlo looked up at her and gave his head a little shake. Kiran set some medicine on his head and dabbed it with some water that had been in the jar. "It's alright, Mar," she said.

Mirlo shut his eyes, tears leaking from them. "Lupus, bring him back. Let him live." he prayed.

Silverstorm was still praying her silent prayer to the Great wolf when Kiran returned and went inside the cave. Silverstorm followed only because she really wanted to know what was going on.

Mirlo finished his prayer. "Lupus, let him live, please," he said.

Kiran bent down and listened to Marlo's heart, when it stopped. "He's..." she whispered. "He's dead."

Mirlo closed his eyes.

_Let him live,_ Kiran thought: praying to whom she did not know. _Please, Someone... not Lupus... Someone else... let him live to his paw-fast mate Maya._ Silence continued, and Kiran moved away sadly.

"Where is Maya?" Marlo asked quite suddenly.

Kiran opened her eyes. "Marlo?" she gasped.

Maya, still to where Marlo first laid dying, only sat there, refusing to go back.

Marlo stood and opened his wounded eye. "I can see!" he said. "Blurry, but I can see! Where is Maya?"

Marlo stepped out of the den. He would find Maya and Raine or he would die again trying. "I'm going, Kiran," he said, running away.

"It's all their fault..." Maya muttered.

Silverstorm stepped back. Marlo was alive. He was alive. All the prayers had worked, or at least that's what it seemed like to Silverstorm. Marlo was alive and he would be able to live with Maya.

Marlo caught her scent now that the rain had gone away and began to follow it.

"Maybe I shouldn't have let any of them live. If I had been there Marlo wouldn't have been dead."

"Maya?" Marlo called. "Maya, where are you?"

_That voice...Marlo?_ Maya couldn't feel happy though. She just did not feel happy.

Marlo ran forward, trying to spot her. "Maya?" he called again.

"Marlo!" she replied to his call.

Marlo saw her and ran, muzzling her. "Maya!" he cried. "Why were you not there? I missed you!" he nuzzled her deeply. "I love you, Maya. Don't forget that."

"Never," Maya said, a cold tone.

He looked up. "We have to find Raine," he whispered. "We have to."

"I know," Maya frowned.

Marlo began towards the north where Fire had gone, readying for a large journey. And so, the epic adventure had begun.

Charonah saw Maya and Marlo and ran to inform them about Raine but his paws slipped on the still slick grass. He regained his balance and calmly walked towards them.

"Huh. Who are you?" Asked Maya

He cocked his head to the side and thought: _Oh, wait I didn't think this through; how am I going to tell them when I can't speak?_ He accidentaly let out a wheeze.

Marlo approached him. "I've seen you before," he said. "You ran after Raine... trying to save her," he looked back at Maya. "I think he's a friend."

"Oh...okay..." Maya said. "Thank you, random wolf"

Silverstorm walked out of the den to look for Marlo and Maya.

"Hi."

"Hi Maya, I see that you found Marlo." Silverstorm said with a small laugh.

"Yeah, I did."

"I don't feel better," Marlo said. "I ache terribly but I feel just as awake as usual." He nuzzled Maya affectionately.

"Hmm...well, that's good," she sighed.

Marlo looked up as it began to rain harder. "We should get to the MacNaans before they kill Raine," he said. "Silverstorm, I presume you're coming with us, so let's be on our way."

"Wait, wait!" Kiran yelled. "You aren't going without me!"

Marlo growled. "Kiran," he began sweetly. "Mirlo needs you around here."

Kiran thought. "Fine," she said. "I'll stay here, and if anything happens, I'll be the messenger to find and tell you."

"Also," Marlo added. "Make sure the pup Sky is alright... he's Raine's first friend."

"Yeah! We wouldn't want that pup being depressed if she doesn't find her first friend here!"

"Should I tell him that Raine is kidnapped? Or would that scare him too much?" Marlo asked.

Maya frowned at Marlo. "Let the childish adults handle it, we'd scare the poor thing if we told him that his friend was gone."

Marlo nodded. "We'll leave," he said. "Once I get my medicine."

"Okay," Maya said, "I'll wait here...unless you need help finding it."

He shook his head and took off, but returned soon after. "Let's go!" he yelled, beginning to follow a fading scent.

Maya nodded, padding off after him.

"I told Mirlo about Jay, Snake, and Fire so hopefully they will take care of them," he said.

"Yeah. Not kill..._care_."

Marlo laughed. "I'm not sure about Kiran," he muttered.

"Kiran...she doesn't seem like a killing machine type! But neither did I so... _wha_?"

"She almost killed Snake," he said. "Well anyway, I hope they don't come back. They are getting stronger."

"They probably somehow manage to train..." Maya mumbled.

"The MacNaans are fighting experts," Marlo said. "They go back and train until they attack again, I guess."

"Wow...well I guess maybe we should dig into their little - secrets - while we are there," Maya looked at Marlo.

"I have an idea," Marlo yipped. "We could join the MacNaans!"

"Go under cover, you mean?" Maya grinned.

"Yes," Marlo said. "We join them, and then don't tell them that we are Watch Wolves, and keep out of sight of Audren."

"Yes! But...one question...how do we get in, and look like normal, non-cursed wolves? They hate malcadh."

"We could ask to be gnaw wolves," Marlo suggested hesitantly.

"We'll try that and then if it fails...we'll have to somehow change our appearance to trick them."

"Good idea!" Marlo asked. "Let's go." Maya headed off. "How about we roll in dirt to look stranger? I mean, maybe they were at the Gaddergnaw and might recognize us." he suggested.

"...Yeah...change scent, the fur...heck, somehow change our eyes and _bam_: new wolves."

Marlo jumped down and began to roll in the dirt that was now mud. After Marlo, Maya rolled in the mud without even making a fuss over it unlike some wolves. Marlo got up, shook some of the heavier clumps off of him, and smiled at Maya. "You look ridiculous and funny at the same time," he said.

"I know...my eyes don't fit a brown pelt" Maya shuddered, the mud cold on her skin and fur.

Marlo whiped some mud from his eyes, but because his paw was covered with more mud, he only smeared more onto his head. "This is going to be difficult. Everyday you and I have to go and roll in dirt or mud that is by a creek." he looked to the territory again. "Now, for the last time, we should go."

"Hehe...sure...I hope they don't think you have a third eye with that large chunk of mud on your forehead," Maya giggled.

"I'm not that deformed," he muttered.

"I said the chunk of mud! Not you, idiot!"

"You're a lovely wife."

"Thank you. And you are a muddy husband," Maya said, flicking her tail.

Some mud flew from her tail and slapped him in the face. "And there's my fourth and very messy eye," he sighed, shaking his head, and then began to trot onward.

Maya laughed and ran ahead of Marlo. "Good luck with not slipping," he snickered.

Then, Maya slipped. "Dude...you really love causing Karma," she grunted, getting back on her paws.

Marlo snuffled in the rain. "We'd better get there quick or the mud is going to come off," he stated.

"Yeah I know...before it starts to rain harder."

Marlo carefully quickened his pace as to not slip, but soon the ground became more lush and it was easier to walk on.

"We must swim across this muddy swamp of mud!" she said dramatically.

Marlo threw his paws into an ever faster pace. "Come on! We're getting close!"

"Sure! Okay!"

Marlo stopped as he saw a wolf not far from them, "Look!" he whispered. "Okay, when I say so, we run around and beg him to be apart of the pack, alright?"

"I don't know if that's a smart plan..." Maya winced.

"Why not?"

"Well obviously, we'd have to go to the Chieftain! If we went to some random wolf from the MacNaans, they will think there is something strange up."

"True," he muttered. "But how are we supposed to get to Anna first without any other wolves seeing and attacking us? I mean, wolves with clear deformities aren't just allowed to walk up to a chieftain unaddressed or unidentified."

Maya felt like hitting her head up against a tree. "Fine!"

He nuzzled her. "Come on," he urged her.

"Yes..." Maya sighed and then followed through.

"So, we'll jump to this wolf and humbly ask to see the chieftain," Marlo explained.

"Wait...I thought we were going to plead and beg to become members?" Maya questioned Marlo.

"Yes," he nodded.

"Wait...beg the wolf? Or the Chieftain?" Maya became confused.

"Say to the wolf, 'Let us be apart of the clan, please! Take us to the chieftain so that he may decide our fate! We must join the pack!' Something like that."

"Do I say it? Or you? AH!"

"One of us can plead and the other can be crying in the background," thought Marlo aloud.

Maya frowned at Marlo. "Crying? That's gunna be you! I already cried enough when you were dying"

"Males just don't cry," Marlo thought. "I'll be in the back making puppy faces and nodding to everything that you say?"

"Oh yeah, right. So if I was dying, you wouldn't cry?"

"Of course I would cry! Males don't usually cry when they are desperate just to become part of a pack."

Maya sighed. "Sure, sure... but females don't either! I feel very offended by that comment, Marlo!"

"Regular females do. You were a gnaw wolf... you're more durable than other females. That should be a comment."

"...Durable? Sorry to actually say this for once but...I really don't know what that means." Maya said with a blank look.

"It means you are sturdy and tough," he barked. "Now are we going to do this or what?"

"Don't be so desperate. We'll do it, okay?" Maya grumbled, walking towards the wolf with her tail between her legs. She stopped infront of the wolf and gave a sad look.

Marlo sighed, rolled his eyes, and fell before the wolf in tears. "Please!" he cried. "All of the other packs will not let us join them, and your pack is so much better!"

"Please, allow us to have access to your Chieftain, Anna. You MacNaans outsmart them all...please..." Maya begged in a very emotional tone like she was about to cry.

"Bring us to him, we beg you!" Marlo pleaded, bowing submissively.

Maya did not really want to keep the act up for long, but still managed to fake sadness. The wolf looked confused, but nodded. "Follow me," he barked, showing the Watch Wolves to Anna.

Maya had her tail between her legs, slowly eyeing the wolves around her. They looked frightening and very...strange.

Marlo folded his hears back even further, hoping he looked thin enough to be a gnaw wolf and not a Watch Wolf. His tail was tucked tightly between his legs, and he regularly whimpered as he followed the wolf inside the territory.

_Marlo can really keep it up for a long time...I hope at least,_ Maya thought silently to herself.

At last their guide stopped at a great cave, and Marlo became even more submissive and flattened onto the ground when Anna approached them. Maya looked at Marlo. She did the same thing like Marlo, but it seemed weird.

Anna growled. "Who are you and what are you doing in my territory, gnaw wolves?"

"We..." Marlo gulped, grinding his head into the ground. "This is my realative, Mia, and I am Mar. We are _malcadh_ from two different packs... we have found one another and now we must find a pack. Please... please accept us. We knew your pack was the wisest to go to."

"Yes...please, please allow us! I have grown a hate in the MacDuncan Clan...but once I heard about you MacNaans, I knew there was a perfect way to get back at them." Maya whimpered. _Uh oh...what did I just say?_

"I've considered you before," Marlo said slowly. "But I was a foolish pup. He want to get back to you at last... when we are in our prime. We can be of service, I know we will."

"Alright, gnaw wolves," Anna snarled. "You may stay with us, but only on the borders of the pack. We will summon you for hunts. And you will _not_ be late."

"Yes, Cheiftain Anna. As you wish." Maya whined.

"Go to your dens," Anna growled, turning back around.

Marlo, not being given permission to rise, began to waddle away with his head down. He yelped a few blows from others; he was not use this abuse like Maya had been.

"Gnaw wolves..." Maya growled under her breath, watching Marlo get whipped. She hated that.

When they were out of eyesight, Marlo rose back up and stretched. "Well," he whispered. "That was a lot easier than I expected it to be."

Maya nodded. "That's what makes me think that this place isn't really...wise."

Marlo sniffed out a fox's den. "Of course not," he said. "But they appear more so when we are their gnaw wolves." He began to enlarge it.

"Uh...what are you doing?" Maya asked him.

"Making a den," he said.

"Oh...okay...in a fox's den?"

"Yeah," he answered. "What's bad about that?"

"Are you even sure it isn't being used anymore?"

"I have a nose, Maya," he answered her with a grin. "I can smell. It's obviously being used."

"Well then why are you taking over it!? If it is being used, leave it alone, Marlo! Think of the fox family that has to live there!" Maya scolded Marlo.

Marlo laughed. "You're so dramatic!" he snickered. "It isn't being used."

But he just told me it was being used... _Marlo_!" Maya's eye twitched. "GAH!"

After a few more minutes Marlo was able to fit inside of it. "I'm going to have to work on it for a few more hours," he called to her.

"Okay. I'll just go doze off into some business while you do that," Maya yelled back.

Marlo rolled his eyes with a smile as he continued

"Maya!" he yelled. "You can come in now!"

Maya was laying on the ground, "Okay...just one more minute," she said as she bathed in the sunlight.

Marlo came out to her and sat beside her. The mud caked on them was dry and cracking, but she looked as if she was enjoying the sunlight too much to notice the mud. He laid down beside her. "I like when rain stops and the sun comes out," he said, glancing at Maya while on his back.

"Yeah...feels so good..." Maya sighed, her eyes closed as she laid on her back.

He scooted close to her until he was finally feeling the warmth of her fur as well, and he nuzzled her. "I didn't know being a gnaw wolf was this sweet," he grinned.

Maya looked at him. "It can be when you have a friend with you," Maya said, being choosy of her words even when she was outside their territory.

"Friend?" Marlo asked. He lowered his voice to a whisper. "You're my paw-fast." He nuzzled her deeper with a grin.

"I know! Secret though, right?" Maya whispered back to Marlo. She gave him a nuzzle and then got up on all fours and then padded into the den. It was a pretty neat structure that Marlo had dug, so she settled down in it.

He got up after her and followed her in. "Maya," he began. "We're going to have to change things. I'm going to have to start calling you Mia, and you call me Mar. If we're caught talking to each other by different names it won't be good. So you're Mia, and I'm Mar. Also, we have to offer our services a lot. They will hurt us, but we'll spot signs of Raine easier that way."

"Okay, Mar," Maya winked.

"We'll do so in the morning," he yawned. "Now we should get some sleep." He laid down.

"Yep..." she yawned as she snuggled down and fell asleep quickly.

Marlo came closer to her, nuzzling his head against hers as he fell asleep.

_Marlo..._Maya thought as she faded into a deep sleep.


	30. Chapter 29

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything you can recognize from any book EVER. If you recongnize anything from any movie or book—anything, it isn't mine.**

Chapter 29

As the sun dawned, Marlo awoke to a strange but familiar howl in the distance. He awoke with a yelp. "Maya!" he gasped. "That's a skreeleen calling for a _byrrgis_!"

Maya opened one eye, wondering why Marlo called that name. "Maya...?" she yawned.

He lowered and whispered in her ear. "Your new name is Mia, remember?" he growled. "Now come on! Anna said we can't be late to the _byrrgis_, and who knows how MacNaans punish gnaw wolves here!"

"Oh yeah!" Maya jumped up and started to run out the den.

He bolted out with her and the two came to the _byrrgis_ in a matter of seconds.

"Whoa...do we have to do the one thingy?" Maya whispered.

"We're sweepers," Marlo whispered in return.

Maya whimpered. "Oh yeah...right..."

He sighed. "Let's go," he said, trotting towards the pack of the _byrrgis_.

"Sweeping scat everywhere. Such an excitement!"

Marlo snickered and raced ahead into the big moving mass of wolves.

Maya followed behind Marlo and looked around. _No manure, yay!_ She thought.

Marlo heard a summon for a gnaw wolf and nudged Maya. "I'll be right back, Mia," he grinned and ran off to some scat he had to examine.

"Okay, Mar," Maya mumbled to Marlo, watching him examine the...scat.

Marlo sniffed and then reported to a member of the _byrrgis_. Then he returned to Maya, wanting to nuzzle her. "We can't act paw-fast," he whispered.

"I know...sadly...but, eh!" Maya yipped. Then, she had to do a scat job. She came back wanting to gag.

"Aren't you used to it?" Marlo asked.

"I still hated it..." Maya said

Marlo continued to follow the byrrgis until they took down the caribou they were after. "We eat last... I forgot," Marlo growled.

"Uh...well, good thing I wasn't that hungry," Maya shuddered.

Marlo sat beside her as the wolves tore in. "I haven't eaten in days, so I'm pretty hungry," he said, gulping as they tore into it.

"Huh...well Marlo, in life you have to deal with hard things."

"I learned that a long time ago," he lowered his voice. "We have to keep an eye out for Audren. She might be hiding."

"Yeah...wait, where could she be hiding? Everyone has to be at the byrrigisssi? Barigi...OH WHATEVER!"

"No, not everyone," Marlo said. "Besides, she could have volunteered to watch the pups just to keep Raine." he looked behind them. "While they are eating we could go and look for Audren."

"Okay...but we can't get caught," Maya whispered. Marlo nodded as he snuck away into the shadows. Maya followed.

Marlo finally came to the main territory area. "We don't know which pack she went to," he said. "But the MacNaans only have three packs, I think."

"What are the names?" Maya asked curiously.

"Thankfully," Marlo began, "I don't know."

"Yay! We came totally unprepared!"

"You didn't know their pack names either," he grunted. "All that maters is Audren and Raine. That's it." He continued to look around carefully.

"Yeah."

He sighed. "We're going to get caught," he said. "Let's head back."

"Yeah!" Maya yelped.

Silverstorm left the den when the sun rose again and followed their scents a long distance until she found them not in the MacDuncan clan but in the MacNaan clan. "What are you doing here? It's dangerous to go alone. You could have been killed." She said as she reached them.

Maya growled at Silverstorm.

"Silverstorm!" Marlo gasped. "You're going to blow our cover! We'll talk to you later—go to the den on the southern flanks of the territory... we'll talk to you then!" He hurriedly trotted with Maya to the _byrrgis_.

She nodded and quickly headed off in the direction in which the wolves had pointed her.

Marlo soon returned to Silverside at the den, entering it to talk to her in secret. "Yes?" he panted. "I guess I know why you came. We're looking for Raine—secretly—and no one can find out."

Silverstorm looked at Marlo "I want to help you." she paused "I want to help Maya too."

Marlo grinned. "I have an idea!" he yipped. "You could ask to join their pack as well—not as a gnaw wolf, because you have no visible deformity! Besides, you're coming over your sense of smell anyway. You could ask to be a packer and help us look for Raine!"

"Okay." She said "Where is the leader? I will need to ask him." Silverstorm was almost excited to get the chance to no longer be a gnaw wolf but she was not going to ever leave to her clan that she called home.

"She should be at her cave," Marlo said.

Silverstorm nodded and then asked "And where would that be?"

"I'll show you," Marlo slid out of the den and trotted towards the middle of the territory. After a few minutes of walking they came upon a large cave, and walking into it was Anna. "Ask her, but make no mentioning of me. If you do, my name is Mar, and Maya's name is Mia. You might want to make up a name for yourself as well."

Silverstorm nodded and made her way into the den. She had already decided to call herself Rouge here because that was the same name as her lone wolf mother and she had thought that if she used her mothers name to save a pup that it would honor her death. She reached the center of the cave and saw a wolf sitting there. "I would like to join your pack." She said.

Anna looked up. What's with these wolves joining my pack? She wondered, but stood. "Hello, wolf," she greeted. "You want to join my pack, huh? Most have these days... I know why. It's because I have the best way of living of any clan in the beyond. Tell me about what you can do and I will see what place in my pack I may appoint to you."

Silverstorm nodded. "Well the first thing any wolves should know about each other is names. My name is Rouge." Silverstorm said to the leader. "Second is that I am very skilled in the art of hunting, and also have a great sense of smell."

Anna nodded. "I will talk this matter over with my pack lords and such," she turned and called a small _raghnaid_ where she spoke for about five minutes. There she turned back. "We have given you the rank of a packer— when a byrrgis takes place, you will be an outflanker."

Silverstorm nodded kindly. "Thank you. I will not let you down." Silverstorm lowered her head and then turned to leave the cave.

"Dismissed," Anna turned away to her other duties.

As Silverstorm came of the cave, Marlo stayed with low ears. "Mia won't like this," he said. "You being dominant over her."

Silverstorm sighed "I really have no idea why she hates me so much. All I have tried to do is be nice to her." she looked at Marlo for a moment, "By the way, when we are around other wolves you should call me Rouge. That is the name I picked."

Marlo nodded. "I heard," he said. "But about Mia: I know what it's like when she gets angry and doesn't forgive. But it doesn't matter. She's the best thing that ever happened to me, and nothing anyone can do will stop that."

She nodded, "I was not going to try and stop you."

"I know, I know," Marlo sighed. "In the mean time we have to search for Raine while others are absent. You can do a better job, because they are less suspicious of an outflanker instead of a gnaw wolf."

"Hello? Where did they go?" Maya looked around.

Silverstorm smiles a small smile. "Right. I'll help look whenever I can."

The she wolf looked around for Marlo and Silverstorm but could not find them. She felt a hint of envy.

"So Mar, where should I go first? Maybe I should regroup with Maya and tell her the things that happen with the leader."

"Where could the Airhead and Storm have gone?" Maya mutteredl

Silverstorm left Marlo and made her way back to Maya.

"Hey Silver...storm?" Maya greeted. She was confused of where the two had went.

"Shh." Silverstorm instructed "Please not so loud, Mia. If you want to talk to me call me Rouge. I'm here to help you guys find the pup."

"WHAT?! I thought it was going to be me and Marlo ONLY!" Maya yelped angrily.

"Listen Mia. It's dangerous to go alone. I also wanted to help you find your pup. I just wanted to help someone who could be a friend of mine."

Maya flattened one of her ears. "I'm a bit ditzy of what you are trying to point at."

"I want to help you." Silverstorm sighed. "I just want to be useful for a change."

"You could be useful everywhere. Any gnaw wolf could be." Maya muttered.

She growled for just a second but then smiles remembering that she was not the rank of gnaw wolf here. "I am not a gnaw wolf Maya. At least not here. Here I am a packer just an outflanker but a packer still the same."

Maya scowled. "Outflanker...such honor goes to no Gnaw Wolf." she snarled at Silverstorm

"Anna didn't know that I was a gnaw wolf and so I stand before you an outflanker." Silverstorm said with such honor.

"So? I will not bow down." Maya said, her hackles raising.

"I didn't ask you to, Maya." Silverstorm growled a little but stopped. "I'm sorry I'm not sure what came over me there." She lowered her head a little out of old habits.

She growled. "You have so much pride, yes. But you are only a pup in my eyes!"

Silverstorm stayed cool. "Pup or not, all pride is respected." She said kindly and then sighs. "All pride is respected.' she repeated thinking of her mother Rouge for only a second.

"Why do you come to me?" Maya asked. "I'd rather you be back in your own territory."

"I came to regroup with you and tell you what happen with the leader. You know I'm starting to really like this place." she growls "Maybe I will make it my home." Silverstorm only said this because she was upset but after she said it she believed that maybe she could make this place her home.

"You would be considered an enemy here in the MacNaans, good. Make it your home. I wouldn't care the least."

"No one would!" She almost screamed at Maya. "No one would care if I just packed up and left or even died. No one would care!" Silverstorm growl and felt like challenging Maya this time she might go through with it.

Maya took a step towards Silverstorm, her nose just inches away from hers.

Silverstorm growled "Maya, I challenge you right here and right now." The hackles on Silverstorm back roose and she growled a deep growl getting ready for a fight.

Maya grinned. "Bring it on."

As soon as she heard the words she moved and tried to bite Maya's hind leg. Maya jumped away though, and went for Silverstorms neck. Silverstorm dodged the teeth of Maya and tried to do the same as her and tried to grab hold of her neck. She had been so close, but Maya only felt some of her fur get tugged. During Silver's strike, Maya clasped onto her neck and dug deeply down. "Try again. One more move!" Maya growled with Silverstorm's neck in her mouth.

Silverstorm's hair stood on its end and she could feel her blood pumping through all her vains; that was when she had an idea. She knew that the spine was important to the vains if a wolf so she wiggled out of the grasp if Maya and went after Maya's spine.

"What are you—" Maya yipped at feeling pain. Silverstorm had struck her in the back! She was angered by this and had opened her large jaws, revealing the long fangs. She clenched hard on Silverstorm's muzzle even though the pain in her back was unbareable.

Silverstorm smiled a small evil smile. "Oh Maya. Go on. Yell for him: I know you want to. Yell for your paw-fast mate."

Maya grunted. "You want me to call for my mate? I am not as week and pathetic as you." Maya laughed, she turned and opened her jaws, clenching them hard on Silverstorms muzzle. "You cry!"

Sure, the jaws on Silverstorm's muzzle may have hurt but she would not act week or pathetic as Maya thought that she was. She raised her front right paw and scratched Maya's nose.

"A scratch? A SCRATCH?" Maya only chuckled at the she wolf. She tackled Silverstorm on her side and gave a snug bite to her neck, she could taste the blood from Silverstorm already. She may have been tackled but her plane to get Maya's muzzle off of her worked. Silverstorm growled at Maya who had bit her neck but Silverstorm could still bit her paws. So that is what she did: she bit Maya's front left paw.

Maya sneered at this. A bite to the paw wasn't that effective. "You don't know who you are messing with. I have family here in the MacNaan. He will kill you with one bite. Now, want to keep fighting? Or do you want to get sick with a disease that kills you slowly and painfully?" Asked Maya in a grim and odd tone. She had never acted like this.

"No." Silverstorm said "No I don't." She releases Maya's paw. "Maya I don't know what came over me. I just…" She tries to get up and walk away but she was still being held down by Maya.

"Do you really want to die so young? Do you?" She asked in an evil tone, she seemed to be enjoying this.

"No. I don't want to die young. If you just let me up I promise that I will never bother you again." Silverstorm looked into Maya's eyes begging to be let up.

Maya looked at her with no sympathy, but let the she wolf up. "Next time, I will call my brother Snake."

Silverstorm got up turned and ran away from the shameful battle that she had just been a part of. She ran out if the territory but didn't head to the MacDuncan. She ran to a woods that use to be her home as a pup. She slowed to a walk as she reached the old cave. She entered it to find it empty just like how it was when her Milk Giver Rouge was killed right in front of her. "I do not deserve the name you have me as a pup Mama." Silverstorm says to the empty cave like her "Mama" was sitting there. "I do not deserve to be your storm of furry and rage but also of kindness and bravery. I don't deserve any of it." Silverstorm walked around the cave as she said these word. "All I want is to be what you wanted me to be and I have not done that. By my actions today I have betrayed your memory. I have betrayed you mother." Silverstorm let tears slip from her eyes as she lay down in the damp cave. "I have betrayed you." She repeated several times until she fell asleep.

Maya stood there in silence. Anger kept camping over her, just why? There had to be something wrong with Maya. Maya acted exactly like a ... MacNaan! Had she really come from the MacNaans? Maya whimpered. Shamed, she headed back into the den that Marlo had dug for them. She didn't feel worthy to have been paw fasted. To have a stepdaughter. To have anything. Maybe Silverstorm and she weren't that...different.

Silverstorm woke up an hour later and she sighed a small sigh.

Marlo looked up as he heard yelping, barking, and growling. "Maya?" he whispered, recognizing her voice. "Maya!" he ran to the scene, finding no one but Maya standing there. "What happened?" he asked her.

"Nothing," she said.

He looked her in the eyes. "Maya," he said lowly. "What happened?"

Her looked away from Marlo. "It's nothing...please lets just...get Raine," she whimpered.

Marlo growled. "Silverstorm, wasn't it?" he mumbled.

Maya didn't answer. It was not exactly Storm, but it wasn't her either.

"I know I shouldn't have told her to join," he whimpered. "I thought it would help. I didn't realize that you would both... you know..."

"Fight and try to kill each other?"

"Yeah," Marlo nodded. He remained silent before he said anything else. "Listen," he began again. "If you don't like this, I'll get us out of here. I'll get Raine and you won't have to worry about it."

"But you have a high risk of dying."

"As long as I get Raine back to you."

"Still...you're face...well half of it, isn't able to see right ever since the bird attack"

Marlo shook his head. "I don't mind. It's getting better; I can manage."

!

That was when she heard a voice. It was soft and soothing. "Oh Silverstorm." The voice said kindly and she perked up her head because it just couldn't be her. "Mama?" She asked "Is that you?" The voice sighed and that was when a shape came out of the darkness. It was most defently a wolf. "Silverstorm I heard what you said." The shape came closer to Silverstorm and now she could see the Wolf. It was defently Rouge her Milk Giver that had become her mothe but how could it be? "You have not betrayed me or my memory." Silverstorm looked at the wolf. "You where only doing what you thought was right. That is what I tought you as a pup. You where standing up for what you thought was right." Silverstorm sighed. "I fought a wolf. I fought another wolf because I just got so angry. I didn't know what else to do. I was even thinking of joining a enemy wolf pack of my birth clan. I am a disgrace. I do not deserve the name you gave me. I do not deserve to be your storm of furry and anger but also of kindness and bravery. I betrayed the name you have me." She growled angrily at Rouge. "Oh Silverstorm you are missing the point. When you have furry and rage you are at your bravest and kindest and when you are brave and kind you can also have a fury about it. That is why the name stuck Silverstorm." She shook her head. "You have not betrayed me. In fact far from it. Your original plan was good and kind and it was to hounor me. You even took my name. I was proud. I was proud when you tried to show Maya your pride. You honored my memory Silverstorm. You honored me. Go. Go back to the MacDuncan clan and do your best to become a watch wolf. I know you can do it. I have seen it that you will be a packer. You will be something amazing my young pup. You just need to try. Now I must go. My time is up here. Good luck my young pup." Silverstorm looked into the kind blue eyes of Rouge. "Thank you Mama. I will not let you down. I will honor you." Rouge reseeded bace into the darkness and then disappeared from sight. "Good bye mother." Silverstorm said as she left the cave. "I will make you proud." She walked the distance and arived back into the MacDuncan territory and found her small cave. She lay herself down on the stone floor and looked at the sky. It was reaching night time and she could start to see the Great Wolf Constlation rise into the sky, and she smiled at the sight.


End file.
